“Monarchs & Mariachi” and LULAC Fiesta Night at the Putnam Museum & Science Center -- September 9.
“Monarchs & Mariachi”: Saturday September 9, 2 p.m.
LULAC Fiesta Night: Saturday, September 9, 5 p.m.
Putnam Museum & Science Center, 1717 West 12th Street, Davenport IA
On September 9, Davenport's Putnam Museum & Science Center will host a night of vibrant, cultural fun featuring music, food, and dancing in the LULAC Fiesta Night, with the League of United Latin American Citizens' celebration preceded in the day by the venue's magical butterfly extravaganza Monarchs & Mariachi.
With the performers for this year's festivities including Quad City Ballet Folklorico, Mariachi Los Aguilares, and the Crooked Cactus Band, and the delicious dinner catered by El Mariachi. LULAC parliamentarian Michael Reyes said, “As we prepare to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in the QC, LULAC is proud to share our rich cultural heritage with the QC Community. Over the years, our annual fiesta has help raise funds for our scholarship program. As we continue our collaboration with the Putnam Museum, we would like to invite the QC community to this year’s Fiesta.”
The LULAC Fiesta Night will begin at 5 p.m. with a social hour and music from Mariachi Los Aguilares. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m., and will be followed by the program and performances. Staffers from the Putnam will also be bringing out some Day of the Dead Skulls from the collection and displaying them all day Saturday. Admission to the Fiesta event is $20 per person at the door, and includes the entirety of the event and dinner. The proceeds for this event benefit the LULAC scholarship fund, which helps students attend college.
Earlier in the day, the Putnam will be celebrating Monarchs & Mariachi with activities and events all included in the price of museum admission, and patrons invited to celebrate the migration of monarch butterflies throughout the day. Starting at 2 p.m., the venue will host drop-in butterfly crafts, a photo booth, and a special tour of our new regional history exhibit Common Ground: Our Voice, Our Stories. Led by expert members of the Putnam staff, this tour will focus on the Latino influence in the Quad Cities.
At 3 p.m., the educational documentary Flight of the Butterflies 3D will be shown in the Putnam's GIANT Screen Theater, a 40-minute work inspired River Cities' Reader reviewer Mike Schulz to say "the slow, unspeakably beautiful explosion that is the butterflies' mass exodus is enough to make you believe in God -- or, at the very least, in the gods of nature docs." Then, from 4 to 4:45 p.m., Mariachi Los Aguilares will play mariachi music throughout the museum, with the day's guests all encouraged to enjoy butterfly activities and Latin culture during their visit.
For more information on the Putnam Museum & Science Center's LULAC Fiesta Night and Monarchs & Mariachi events on September 9, call (563)324-1933 and visit Putnam.org.
