Hispanic Heritage Month is here. Celebrate history and culture at these Triangle events

National Hispanic Heritage Month has begun, which means 30 days of events to celebrate the people, food, history, dance and art spanning from several countries and cultures of Latin America.

The month-long celebration started Sept. 15 and will go through Oct. 15.

The month starts halfway through September because the 15th is the anniversary of Spanish independence for several Latin American countries: El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua. Sept. 16 is also the independence day of Mexico while Chile celebrates its independence on Sept. 18.

Oct. 10 is Columbus Day, also known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The national observation of Hispanic Heritage Month expanded from Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson to a whole month in 1988 when it was signed into law by president Ronald Reagan.

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Here’s a round-up of festivals, workshops, concerts and more across the Triangle. This list will be updated as events are announced.

SEPTEMBER

▪ Sept. 17 - Fiesta de la Herencia Hispana. Noon to 6 p.m at 200 N. Chatham St., Siler City. Fiesta is an annual outdoor event, hosted by the Hispanic Liaison, that celebrates Latin American culture and traditions with activities for all ages. Featuring food, dance and music performances, art and vendors.

▪ Sept. 17 - Colombian festival. 2 to 5 p.m. at 119 Ambassador Loop, Cary. Diamante Arts and Culture Center will host music, dance and more at this free event at the Page Walker Arts & History Center.

▪ Sept. 18 - La Fiesta del Pueblo. Noon to 6 p.m. on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh. Triangle residents can kick off the month with this big annual family-friendly celebration filled with music, ranging from Mexican folklore to Puerto Rican salsa, food trucks, local vendors, games, performances and more.

It is the first in-person celebration of La Fiesta del Pueblo since 2019 after it was held virtually in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. For details, go to elpueblo.org/fiesta.

▪ Sept. 18 - NCMA Groove: The Joy of Latinx Music 2022. 3 to 7 p.m. at the Joseph M. Bryan Jr., Theater in the Museum Park at the North Carolina Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh.

All four members of The Mamis & the Papis, a Triangle-based female DJ collective, will host a dance-filled afternoon with a selection of Latin American and Caribbean music.

▪ Sept. 25 and Oct. 9 - Kids’ Latin American film festival. 2 p.m. at The Cary Theatre at 122 E. Chatham St. Presented in partnership with New York International Children’s Film Festival, the town of Cary will host Viva Kid Flicks and show the best Spanish-language short films (with subtitles) from around the globe for children 8 years old and up. Go to thecarytheater.com for ticket information.

▪ Sept. 21 - Los Utrera in concert with Larry & Joe. 7 p.m. at 305 S. Dillard St., Durham. Los Utrera will perform son jarocho, a folk music and dance with Spanish, African and indigenous roots from Veracruz, Mexico. They will be joined by Larry & Joe, a Triangle-based duo of master musicians who play a mix of Bluegrass and Venezuelan folk music.

▪ Sept. 21 - Ancient Americas slow art exhibition. 7 to 8 p.m. at North Carolina Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh. According to the museum, “Slow art is an observation method to mindfully and communally appreciate art. Participants are guided through a brief centering practice followed by an intentional observation of a single artwork from our Ancient Americas collection in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Sharing and discussion are encouraged. Ages 16 and up.”

▪ Sept. 22 - Fandango de Durham. 6 p.m. at Durham Bottling Co., 506 Ramseur St., Durham. According to organizers, “A fandango is the community celebration of the son jarocho tradition. From Veracruz, Mexico, son jarocho features a variety of string instruments and is derived from a mix Spanish, African, and Indigenous music practices. During a fandango, community members gather to play a variety of son jarocho instruments, sing improvised poetic verses, and dance on top of a wooden platform called a tarima.”

▪ Sept. 28 - K-5th instrument-making workshop. 4 to 4:45 p.m. Duraleigh Road Community Library, 5800 Duraleigh Road, Raleigh. Children in kindergarten through fifth grade can take part in the instrument-making workshop and learn Latin American dances.

OCTOBER

▪ Oct. 1 - North Carolina Football Club Hispanic Heritage Celebration. 5 to 7 p.m. at 101 Soccer Park Drive, Cary. The NCFC will host a free celebration with live performances from Colombian and Brazilian groups before a 7 p.m. NCFC game against Union Omaha.

▪ Oct. 1 - Family salsa dance class. 5 to 7 p.m. at 5104 Western Blvd. Suite B, Raleigh. Diamante Arts & Cultural Center will host a family-friendly salsa dance class with veteran Triangle-based instructor Betto Herrera. “Explore and learn about culture, Latin rhythms and the basic steps of Salsa dance in a family-friendly atmosphere. Children will have an opportunity to explore some of the instruments used in the Salsa genre of music.” $15 for adults and $5 for children under 10 years old.

▪ Oct. 6 - Hispanic Heritage Month festival at Old Mill Farm. 4 to 8 p.m. at 8913 N.C. 751, Durham. Food trucks, a bluegrass and Venezuelan folk fusion performance from Larry Bellorín and Joe Troop and more. Old Mill Farm has partnered with nonprofit El Futuro to allocate 50% of ticket sales to help support mental health services for the Latino community.

▪ Oct. 11 to 19 - 2022 NC Latin American Film Festival. Rubenstein Art Center Film Theater at Duke University; Mandela Auditorium at UNC-Chapel Hill, Carolina Theatre of Durham, Chelsea Theatre in Chapel Hill, Richard White Lecture Hall at Duke. Looks for films and conversations about them. The NC Latin American Film Festival “celebrates the power and artistry of Latin America’s film and audiovisual production. Its mission is to provide a space for Latin American images, sounds, and stories to reach a wider audience.” All films and events are free. See dates and times at nclatinamericanfilmfestival.org.

▪ Oct. 15 - Day of the Dead offering workshop. 1 p.m. at Diamante Arts & Cultural Center, 5104 Western Blvd. Suite B, Raleigh. The center will host a Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) ofrenda-making workshop, in which participants can learn how to make their own offering for the traditional Mexican three-day celebration that honors beloved family members who have died. Children and adults are welcome to this workshop taught by Raleigh-based Mexican artist Peter Marín.

Laura Brache contributed to this story.