El Portal will celebrate more than 70 years of village history with the second annual Little River Celebration Day from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8.

The free event will pay homage to the village’s 75th anniversary with a

concert, bird tour, lecture and more.

The hour-long walking bird tour starts at 7 a.m. at Horace Mann Middle School,

8950 NW Second Avenue. There will also be a lecture about the history of the Little River with Prof. Hugh Gladwin at 9:30 a.m.. A concert and family picnic starts

at noon.

Mayor Daisy Black said El Portal’s 75th year anniversary is worth celebrating for several reasons

“El Portal is one of the oldest municipalities in Miami-Dade County,” she wrote in an e-mail. “And we are proud that we are not

going through the financial difficulties of some of the other

municipalities around the county as well as the state.”

Visitors are encouraged to bring their canoe or kayak to proceed with singers and musicians down the Little River for the River Serenade of

Native and Afro-Indigenous song. The serenade starts at 10:30 a.m. and can be viewed from

various vantage points throughout the village.

A community water

blessing will conclude the river serenade at 385 NE 85 St.

The concert at Horace Mann Middle will feature vendors and a wildlife exhibit.

Black added that residents should attend to learn about the village’s history.

“Village residents should come out and bring their families to learn

of El Portal’s history,” she wrote. “and how past and present residents have kept

this village going and growing.”