September 15 marks the 202th anniversary of Central American independence from Spain. On this day in 1821, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua officially declared their freedom.
September 15 also marks the kick off for Hispanic Heritage Month, which was officially signed into U.S. law in 1988. Through October 15, communities all over the country will celebrate and recognize the histories and cultural legacies of Americans of Latinx and Hispanic descent.
From Mexican Independence Day celebrations to music festivals, there’s hundreds of things to see and do over the next 30 days. We rounded up 17 activities happening through October 15 to celebrate Hispanic heritage here in Dallas.
Dallas Public Library Hispanic Heritage Month
Thru Oct. 19
Dallas Public Library has a number of Hispanic Heritage Month events planned across its various branches through mid-October. Family-friendly activities include dance performances, music, and craft workshops, where kids can make maracas, lucha libre masks, papel picado, and more. Adult-centric classes include food tastings, art workshops, and flamenco for seniors. Learn more here. Multiple locations.
Flor, Canto, y Grito
Sept. 15
The Oak Cliff Coalition for the Arts plans to open Hispanic Heritage Month at the Latino Cultural Center with an all-evening celebration. Beginning at 5 p.m., the fiesta will include refreshments, poetry readings, dance performances, and live music. At 9 p.m., they’ll officially kick off the month with the traditional gritos in the plaza. Learn more about the event here. Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak St.
’til Midnight at the Nasher
Sept. 15
The September edition of the Nasher’s ‘til Midnight series will feature three locally based Latinx musicians. Listen to Nicaraguan-Ecuadorian Ceci Callejas, Ariel and the Culture, and Mexico City-born DJ VRYWVY all evening long. Learn more here. Nasher Sculpture Center, 2001 Flora St.
M.A.D.E. Dallas
Sept. 15
The Dallas Farmers Market is kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month with a special Friday night M.A.D.E. market. During the evening event, shop crafts, food, and more from Hispanic artisans and makers. Learn more here. Dallas Farmers Market, 920 S. Harwood St.
Hecho en Dallas
Sept. 15–Oct. 14
All month long, the Latino Cultural Center is hosting its 15th-annual “Hecho en Dallas.” The exhibition will showcase works across mediums from 46 local artists. Admission is free. An opening reception will be held September 15, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Learn more here. Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak St.
FC Dallas Hispanic Heritage Night
Sept. 16
Up in Frisco, FC Dallas will host a Hispanic Heritage theme night as it takes on the Seattle Sounders. The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Learn more here. Toyota Stadium, 9200 World Cup Way, Frisco.
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage
Sept. 17
Spend your Sunday afternoon at Kiest Park, and celebrate Hispanic heritage at this family-friendly event. There will be low riders, food, mariachi music, and performances from musicians like Monica Saldivar. Learn more here. Kiest Park, 3080 S. Hampton Rd.
Mega Mixer de Sabor, Culture, Community: Spicing Up Hispanic Heritage Month!
Sept. 20
Tons of local groups and nonprofits, like The Concilio and Hispanic 100, will come together for a party like no other at YuYu Cultural Shop, initiated and co-hosted* by the Greater North Texas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Enjoy food, drink, music, and art throughout the evening. There will also be opportunities to network and learn about community initiatives. Learn more here. 369 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Papel Picado Workshop
Sept. 22
Local artist Selestino “Sal” Barron will teach the public to make papel picado banners and Mexican folk art in this two-hour workshop. The event is a partnership between UNT Dallas and the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture. Learn more here. Founders Hall 124, UNT Dallas, 7400 University Hills Blvd.
La Peña
Sept. 22
Spend your Friday night at the Latino Cultural Center, which is hosting an acoustic concert of Latin American music on September 22. The free, two-hour show will feature musicians from Cuba, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. Learn more here. Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak St.
Latinidad Festival 2023
Sept. 23
The AT&T Performing Arts Center is hosting its second-annual Latinidad Festival. The evening will include food, crafts, family-friendly activities, and a vendor market. There will also be performances from groups like Sunset High School Folklorico Company and Bombazo DFW. Learn more here. Annette Strauss Square, 2403 Flora St.
Latino Art Destination
Sept. 28
The Latino Arts Project is headed out into the community for a new installation at the Dallas County Oak Cliff Government Center. The museum is sponsoring a Hispanic Heritage celebration by displaying the works of five local artists. The pieces include sculptures, murals, and more. A kick-off event will take place on Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. Learn more here. Dallas County Oak Cliff Government Center, 702 E. Jefferson Blvd.
Latinidades Festival
Sept. 29–Oct. 15
Cara Mía Theatre is putting on three plays in two weeks to celebrate Latinx theater. First up is three performances of We Have Íre, a musical exploring Cuba (Sept. 29–Oct. 1). Next is four performances of Virginia Grise’s Your Healing is Killing Me (Oct. 5–8). The festival ends with Adrian Villegas’ one-man show, Barrio Daze (Oct. 12–15). Learn more here. Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak St.
Trash-Mex Double Feature
Sept. 30 & Oct. 1
The Texas Theatre is putting a Hispanic Heritage Month spin on its Tuesday Night Trash movie series. The cinema is teaming up with Southern California’s Trash-Mex to screen several obscure, cult-classic Mexican films. See the full movie schedule here. The Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Hispanic Heritage Festival
Oct. 7
Enjoy live entertainment, a vendor market, and kids’ activities at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center’s second-annual Hispanic Heritage Festival. Local students can submit their art to be displayed during the event, and there will be a performance from Anita Martinez Ballet Folklórico. Learn more here. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center, 2922 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
“Abraham Ángel: Between Wonder and Seduction”
Oct. 8
Early 20th-century Mexican artist Abraham Ángel had a tragically short three-year career. But during that time, he cemented his legacy in the country’s modern art movement. The Dallas Museum of Art has collected most of his surviving works in an extensive retrospective, on view through January 28, 2024. On October 8, the DMA will host a free community day with suicide-awareness programming surrounding the exhibition. Learn more here. Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood St.
Hispanic Heritage Month Run
Oct. 14
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a 5K hosted by Latinos Run and Fleet Feet. With both in person and virtual options, the run is open to participants of all ages. The start line is located at the Fleet Feet location in Richardson and after you register, you can purchase swag to commemorate your run and enter to win prizes. Click here to learn more about the race. 1465 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson
*A previous version of this story implied the Greater North Texas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce was the only host of the Sept. 20 event at YuYu Cultural Shop. This has been corrected.
Authors
Catherine Wendlandt
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