San Juan basilica hosting 14th annual migrant welcoming festival
Related Story
The Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle is set to honor the migrant farmworkers who helped rebuild their new shrine.
The 14th annual Migrant Welcoming Festival is set to begin on Saturday, Oct. 21 at noon.
Last year’s event drew 4,000 people, and more are expected to attend this year’s two-day festival.
Migrant farmworkers helped rebuild the shrine at the basilica after the old one was struck by a plane in 1970.
Basilica Rector Father Jorge Gomez says a lot of people who visit the basilica are migrants, adding that Our Lady of San Juan is the mother of migrants.
“We need to celebrate migrants because the Valley was founded on families who migrate from the great up north, and then they would come to build their homes with the money they made up north,” Gomez said. “But also, not only migrants from the Valley, but also immigrants that come from other countries."
The festival is free and will have food, music and other events for the entire family.
Watch the video above for the full story.
News
