According to NBC4, organizers of the 20th annual Salvadoreñisimo Festival in Gaithersburg have canceled the event due to fears surrounding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Held each September at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds, the event celebrates El Salvador’s Independence Day and typically draws over 15,000 attendees. It features live performances by top Salvadoran artists, guest speakers, and hundreds of vendors offering food, drinks, clothing, and more.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich called the cancellation “sad” and reaffirmed the county’s commitment to remaining a trusted resource for immigrant communities.
A huge annual festival in Maryland celebrating the people and culture of El Salvador was canceled because of fears about encounters with ICE. https://t.co/Z86m0vKIpL
— NBC4 Washington (@nbcwashington) June 5, 2025