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Aztec and folkloric dancers, tunes from mariachi and Tejano bands and 60 girls showcasing their quinceañera dresses filled this year’s 89th Texas Rose Festival parade on Saturday to seal the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

The historic festival parade brought in many newcomers, who brought their chairs bright and early to secure a good spot to witness the Hispanic community participate after a formal invitation to be included in the parade.

Some East Texas families were even decked out in their “Viva La Rosa” T-shirts in excitement for the Latino community involvement.

Viva La Rosa, the official name of the Hispanic tribute float, showcased: Aztec dancers, Danza Conchera de East Texas, dancing with feathers and bright colors outshining the parade route, folkloric dancers, Grupo Ketzaly, with bright colored dresses twirling, quinceañera girls on top of a float waving in awe with a following of other quinceañera girls dressed in a variety of colored and cultured dresses, a Tejano band, Rigido, from Longview, pumping up the crowd, mariachi band Caporales with ‘la rosa de Tyler’ (the rose of Tyler) Brianna Arteaga performing, another mariachi band, Nueva Era, while quinceañeras in carriages with charros (Mexican horseman) and some riding the horses followed, along with a float representing different Latin countries.

Tyler’s Hispanic community received a formal invitation to participate in the festival by Ginger Young, who is the mother of 2022 Texas Rose Festival Princess Olivia Bristol Young and also an immigration lawyer who conducts community involvement services for Hispanic residents.

Young’s firm sponsored the float and made the whole initiative possible. Originally, the firm was sponsoring the parade float for her daughter, but then she had a better idea to create a float to celebrate Tyler’s diverse Hispanic community and highlight their culture. The idea was inspired by the traditional quinceañera tradition and seemed like the perfect way to cap off Hispanic Heritage Month, which concluded the day of the parade, Oct. 15.

The concept started with a small vision of wanting a few girls to fill the float, but soon turned into a huge operation with involvement from many within the local Hispanic community, including a number of locally-owned Hispanic businesses who came together and pitched in to make the vision come to life.

“For many years, we’ve been ready for this — we were just waiting for a formal invitation. For this 89th year, the princess of this town Olivia Bristol Young and her mother Ginger Young united colors, cultures, and diversity in one heart. Together we grow the roses of Tyler, respecting and learning from our neighbors,” said Paulina Pedroza, Tyler Hispanic community leader, who assisted Young in bringing the float to life.

Fabiola Caraballo and Selena Sosa, quinceañera float participants, had been looking forward to the big day and said the experience was unforgettable.

“I think it was really beautiful to see everyone looking up and seeing such a face of wonder in their eyes, and you felt appreciated. You would see the little girls and they would be like, ‘it’s a princess’ and then you felt like a princess. Also being appreciated by your community is something special to have in your heart, so this was a great experience –I loved it,” said Carabello.

Sosa, who stood tall in a red quinceañera dress waving to the parade crowd, said her favorite part of the parade was the opportunity to showcase her culture.

“I felt honored to be selected as one of the girls because I love my culture and I loved that I was able to show it off, especially this being the first year of showing off our Hispanic culture,” she said.

Charla Bowen, another quinceañera participant, said Viva La Rosa made her feel seen by the Tyler community.

“It felt really good. I felt really appreciated for who I was in the community and as a Hispanic quinceañera,” she said.

Carabello and Bowen showed gratitude toward Young and thanked her for the opportunity.

“Thank you for giving us a chance and letting us show the world who we are,” Carabello said.

Maria Quijada, who also thanked Ginger Young, said the contribution of Hispanic residents is vital to unite the community.

“I have no words for her, she is the one that made this possible. The efforts and love she has for the community, if she wasn’t like that we wouldn’t be able to achieve this. Hopefully we can continue doing this, it’s not only important to us but for everyone,” she said.