On September 18, the Chilean community in the United States hosted a traditional cueca esquinazo in Times Square, New York, as part of the Fiestas Patrias celebrations, according to reports from multiple outlets. The public cultural intervention brought together national dance champions, traditional musicians, and hundreds of spectators in one of the most prominent urban intersections in the world.
Times Square Cultural Intervention Brings Cueca to New York
The performances transformed the commercial hub into a celebration of Chilean folklore. According to Noti-América, national cueca champions—who had participated in prior events in Charlotte, North Carolina—performed alongside the folk group Tierra Linda, hailing from Talca, Chile. Dancers dressed in traditional huaso attire executed multiple rounds of the cueca between the digital billboards and street traffic of Manhattan. Sunny Sarmiento-Wolf, vice president of the Asociación Chilena of North Carolina and event spokesperson, stated to primary sources that the planning required extensive effort over multiple days. “We’ve been doing activities for several days, we planned them with a lot of affection,” Sarmiento-Wolf said, noting that organizers felt exhausted yet deeply fulfilled by the connection to their homeland.
Record-Breaking Attendance at North Carolina Fonda
Prior to the New York appearance, the Asociación Chilena of North Carolina hosted its fourth version of the “Fonda Chilena” on September 12, in Charlotte. The event exceeded initial projections of 300 attendees by drawing 550 participants, establishing a record as the largest fonda held to date in the state. Attendees traveled from neighboring states including Georgia, South Carolina, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Virginia. The program featured folk performances, the presentation of national cueca champions, Tierra Linda, and singer Juan Ángel, winner of the last generation of Rojo. Traditional foods such as empanadas, sopaipillas, completos, pebre, and traditional sweets were completely sold out during the gathering. Sarmiento-Wolf remarked on the expanding unity within the diaspora, stating that it was remarkable to see the community connect across state lines.
Community Engagement and Public Reception
The cultural agenda extended beyond single weekend events. The Asociación Chilena of North Carolina spent a week conducting three to four daily presentations in local schools and universities across the state to introduce traditional music and dance to younger generations, alongside a diplomatic visit to the Embassy of Chile in Washington. In Times Square, the performance drew substantial attention from international tourists and local residents who stopped to record photographs and videos, many of which circulated widely on social media platforms. The most prominent moment of the New York gathering occurred when attendees and onlookers joined together to sing the Chilean national anthem, leaving participants visibly moved by the shared observance far from home.
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