Latino Heritage Month begins on Tuesday, Sept. 15, coinciding with Fiestas Patrias, the Patriotic Holidays, including Mexico’s Independence Day and the independence of additional Spanish-speaking countries. This month celebrates Latino history, culture and contributions in the United States.
Several events are scheduled for next week to kick off the festivities.
One of the first will be a street dedication ceremony in tribute to acclaimed cumbia group Los Ángeles Azules. Hosted by LA City Councilmember Imelda Padilla, the ceremony is meant to honor the group – originating from Iztapalapa, Mexico City – and their global prominence and influence on LA’s cultural identity.
“Without a doubt, the city of Los Angeles holds enormous significance for us and will always remain deep in our hearts,” the band said in a statement. “Here, we have found generations of fans who have welcomed us with affection, danced to our cumbia and passed it down from parents to children, making it part of the cultural history of this great city as well.”
The dedication will be held on Sept. 14 at Plaza del Valle in Panorama City. It will include an unveiling of the band members’ handprints cast in concrete, an awards ceremony, and remarks by representatives of the band, Padilla and Mayor Karen Bass.
But fans of Los Ángeles Azules who can’t make the Panorama City ceremony will have another chance to see them live on the steps of LA City Hall as the headlining act for El Grito LA 2026, the annual event that has celebrated Mexican Independence Day in downtown Los Angeles for decades.
The event reenacts the Grito de Dolores, or Cry of Dolores. In the early morning hours of Sept. 16, 1810, in Dolores, Mexico, Roman Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang the church bell, summoned his congregation and urged the people to revolt against Spanish rule. This pivotal moment was the trigger for the Mexican War of Independence that spanned 11 years.
Every year, on the eve of Sept. 16, the Mexican president leads the cry on the balcony of the National Palace and rings the same bell from 200 years ago.
Ecuadorian-Guatemalan artist Trish Toledo will be the opening act for the free LA event, which begins at 5 p.m. on Sept. 15, while comedian and filmmaker Cristian “Concrete” Gutierrez will be the master of ceremonies.
Additionally, Padilla will serve as the madrina (godmother) for this year’s Latino Heritage Month, leading civic festivities aimed at recognizing the many contributions by those within the community across LA.
Outside of the San Fernando Valley, the community will start the party early on Sunday, Sept. 13, with the 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade and Festival.
Starting at 10 a.m., the parade will start at the intersection of Cesar Chavez and Mednik Avenues and will travel 1.5 miles west, ending at Gage Avenue. The parade will feature plenty of colorful floats, folklórico dancers, equestrian teams and marching bands.
The festival will take place between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Mednik Avenue. Both small businesses and major brands will set up booths there, where you will also find health and wellness resources, community services and product giveaways.
In the past, the City of San Fernando had large celebrations for Mexican Independence Day and after a hiatus, it resumed last year. Organizers expected it to continue, but recently learned that this year, it won’t be happening.
Javier Verdin, who has organized these events in the past, said that the reason is a lack of support. He said he wasn’t informed, but when he approached a councilmember at the city’s recent anniversary event, he was told they “would have to raise their own money.” The city and its council had previously supported the event. Councilwoman Patty Lopez, although an immigrant from Mexico herself, said the holiday “wasn’t an American holiday.”
This response raised eyebrows among many local community members. The city of San Fernando has a Latino, mostly Mexican American majority with a large immigrant population primarily from Mexico.
The city of Los Angeles is noted for having the largest population of Mexican-descended people of any city outside of Mexico. Mexico’s culture is strongly embedded throughout Southern California, the Southwest and the United States.