Latinx Groups Join To Carol Throughout Long Island This Holiday Season

BRENTWOOD, NY — The Brentwood community will be serenaded into the holiday season this Saturday, with music sung in both English and Spanish.

North Babylon non-profit Latina Moms Connect, along with the Puerto Rican Coalition, will host the seventh annual "Parranda Navideña With a Twist", caroling event on Saturday.

Beginning at 11 a.m., carolers will sing at several different locations around Central Islip and Melville.

Candido Crespo, president of the coalition, told Patch that the event allows group members to share their traditions with the community. Carolers also bring instruments for children to play with.

"This is also to share the different cultures and traditions with the younger generation," he said. "That’s why we start this event early so that they can experience this wonderful event."

The event will begin at the Central Islip LIRR parking lot. Carolers will then travel to a Central Islip home, Ross Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Brentwood, and end in Melville.

Participants are encouraged to donate gift cards, which will go toward teens in need, Crespo said.

The event will also take place at select locations in Nassau County on Dec. 17.

Created in 2014, Latina Moms Connect aims to provide children with exposure to "the richness of the Latino/x culture" and "to nurture a Latino/x identity", according to its website.

Crespo said that especially after the pandemic, people need holiday cheer.

"It is important to pass it on from generation to generation, so that the traditions and cultural meaning of the holidays are no forgotten," he said.

To learn more about Latina Moms Connect, click here.