A special art exhibition, worth taking a drive downtown to Los Angeles City Hall, is now on display in celebration of Latino Heritage Month. 

Until the end of the month, visitors to City Hall can see “La Fiesta del Pueblo” in the Henry P. Rio Bridge Gallery. The exhibit has selected artworks by Chicano and Latino artists in LA, from the collections of Cheech Marin and the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture at the Riverside Art Museum. It’s worth seeing, especially as a sample of some of the work by talented artists shown at The Cheech. 

Who Says No One Wants to Read Books Anymore?

There continues to be an affection and demand for bilingual books, as many want to learn or maintain their ability to speak Spanish along with their bicultural heritage.

Also worth visiting, the LA Public Library will be hosting the Sixth Annual LA Libros Festival, the city’s largest celebration of bilingual books, on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., in downtown LA. The free event will feature bilingual performances, storytelling, art workshops and authors for all ages. 

“The Los Angeles Libros Festival celebrates the vibrant Latino culture that makes LA so unique,” said city librarian John F. Szabo. “Our staff has done an incredible job organizing this event, which truly showcases the library’s dedication to Spanish-language and bilingual collections, programming and services. We’re thrilled to invite everyone to join us for more than 30 events and 22 authors representing 11 countries.”

The line-up includes bestselling National Book Award-winning author Elizabeth Acevedo; Pedro Martín, winner of the Newbery Honor Award and the Pura Belpré Award; and Susie Jaramillo from Emmy-nominated preschool brand Canticos. Award-winning authors include Jesús Trejo, Eliza Kinkz, Mirelle Ortega, José Ramirez, Elisa Chaverri, Ericka Sanchez, Joe Cepeda, Racquel Marie and Leopoldo Gout. Activities also include art workshops with Self Help Graphics, the LA County Museum of Art and the Museum of Latin American Art.

“This festival highlights the power of bilingual literature in nurturing young minds and honoring our diverse cultural heritage,” said Valerie Lynne Shaw, president of the Board of Library Commissioners.

Visit the LA Libros Festival website at lapl.org/libros for the full schedule of events.