At The Family Center/La Familia, we are proud to support Latinx families in our northern Colorado community. So, we always look forward to National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs nationally from September 15 – October 15. 

We invite you to explore the many exhibits, screenings, and community celebrations taking place in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month 2022. 

We’ve put together a list of events for you and your family to enjoy in honor of Latinx history and heritage in Colorado.

FORT COLLINS

Hispanic Heritage Month Kickoff

What: Bring the whole family for a Hispanic Heritage Month community celebration with free food, music, performances, and activities for all. *The Family Center/La Familia will be hosting a booth at the event. We hope to see you there!

When: September 18, 2022; 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Where: Northside Aztlan Community Center

More info: Event page 

Odell Brewing Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration

What: Odell is releasing a custom crowlers in all locations. In Fort Collins, this supports The Family Center/La Familia! The crowler features art by Nicoleta. Try one out while listening to live music from Persuasion (a Santana Tribute Band), enjoying food trucks and more!

When: Friday, September 16

Where: Odell Brewing Co.

More info: Event page

Image via WestwoodChileFest.com

DENVER

Westwood Chile Fest

What: This one-day event in the Westwood neighborhood celebrates Hispanic-centric cultures, making up 80 percent of this Denver neighborhood, with a strong focus on authentic food and local arts.

When: September 10, 2022

Where: 

Westwood neighborhood

4407 Morrison Road

Denver, CO 80219

More info: Event page 

Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán

What: The Paramount Theatre is proud to present Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, celebrating its 125th anniversary as one of the musical institutions with a genuine cultural legacy. They’ll share with their audience the songs that have made them a standard of Mexican music: Sabes Una Cosa, La Bikina and El Son De La Negra, among others.

When: September 16, 2022

Where:

Paramount Theatre

1621 Glenam Place

Denver, CO 80202

More info: Purchase tickets and get more info here

Building the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino

What: Attendees are encouraged to take part in Building the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino speaker event, the first in the Rosenberry Lecture Series. The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino, approved by Congress in December 2020, is one of two new museums that will be built over the next decade in Washington D.C. Founding Director, Jorge Zamanillo, will share his approach in leading the project and educate participants on how this museum advances the representation, understanding and appreciation of Latino history and culture in the United States.

When: September 21, 2022; 1-2 p.m.

Where:

History Colorado Center

1200 North Broadway

Denver, CO 80203

More info: Tickets available online

“Siesta” Mixed Media from ¡Salud y Justicia! (Credit: Museo de las Americas)

¡Salud y Justicia!

What: This pop-up art exhibit at Museo de las Americas is curated by Carina Bañuelos-Harrison in order to raise mental health awareness and destigmatize what it means within the Latinx Community. The exhibit’s goal is to spark an open and multidimensional conversation about mental illness to normalize our struggles and transform them through healthy outlets and modalities while bringing to light that our community deserves equitable access to mental health.

When: Through September 24, 2022

Where:

Museo de las Americas 

861 Santa Fe Drive

Denver, CO 80204

More info: Visit the Museo de las Americas website for details and contact information

X Tour: Luis Angel & Luis Alfonso Partida

What: Regional Mexican artists Luis Ángel “El Flaco” and Luis Alfonso Partida “El Yaki”, together for X Tour, are coming to Denver’s Bellco Theatre!

When: September 24, 2022 at 8 p.m.

Where:

Bellco Theatre

1100 Stout Street

Denver, CO 80204

More info: Tickets available here

Viva Southwest Mariachi Festival

What: Head to Levitt Pavilion Denver for a night of free music at the Viva Southwest Mariachi Festival! 

When: September 25, 2022 from 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Where:

Levitt Pavilion Denver

1380 West Florida Avenue

Denver, CO 80223

More info: Tickets and information

Aleman – Tour USA 2022

What: Mexican rapper Aleman will perform live at The Summit Music Hall.

When: September 25, 2022 at 8 p.m.

Where:

Summit Music Hall

1902 Blake Street

Denver, CO 80202

More info: Tickets and details here

Orquesta Akokán via the Newman Center

Orquesta Akokán

What: When Orquesta Akokán burst onto the global music scene, their no-holds barred 21st century take on the venerable Cuban mambo lit up stages around the world with a fierce and unremitting joy. Suffused with a sense of possibility, the band pushes the conventions of “mambo” by drawing from folkloric and religious traditions seldom heard in popular music. See them at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts.

When: October 3, 2022

Where:

Newman Center for the Performing Arts at University of Denver

2344 East Iliff Avenue

Denver, CO 80210

More info: Tickets and details here

Chuchito Valdés

What: With influences of Caribbean rhythms and jazz, Chuchito Valdés follows in the footsteps of his famed father, Chucho Valdés, and grandfather, Bebo Valdés, continuing the legacy of great piano players from Cuba. Chuchito creates an exciting and energetic blend of spicy music that drives audiences wild.

When: October 5, 2022 from 7 – 8:30 p.m.

Where:

Dazzle Denver

1512 Curtis Street

Denver, CO 80202

More info: Tickets and details here

Latin Beats: Sonidos de las Américas

What: The Mexican Cultural Center and your Colorado Symphony present the sixth annual Latin Beats: Sonidos de las Américas. This unique, free concert at Boettcher Concert Hall in the Denver Performing Arts Complex celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month and Latin culture’s influence on sound in the Americas, showcasing a fusion of traditional, classical and contemporary music augmented by the Colorado Symphony’s soaring orchestrations.

When: October 6, 2022 at 7 p.m.

Where:

Boettcher Concert Hall at Denver Performing Arts Complex

1000 14th Street

Denver, CO 80202

More info: Tickets and details here

Who Tells a Tale Adds a Tail: Latin America and Contemporary Art 

What: This exhibit at Denver Art Museum features mostly site-specific, commissioned artworks by emerging artists in dialogue with the unique architecture of the DAM’s Hamilton Building. The 19 participating millennial-generation artists from countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico have developed work that creates new worlds and realities, inviting spectators to engage in narratives through a multitude of media: painting, sculpture, installation, textile, video, sound, digital and performance art.

When: Through March 5, 2023

Where:

Denver Art Museum

100 West 14th Avenue Parkway

Denver, CO 80204

More info: Included with general admission; details on the Denver Art Museum website

SOUTH OF DENVER

Friday Night Jazz: An Evening of Latin Jazz

What: The CJRO Sextet will play an evening of Samba, Mambo and more in a concert celebrating the rich and bold culture of Latin music at The Schoolhouse at Mainstreet in Parker. 

When: September 16, 2022

Where:

The Schoolhouse

19650 Main Street

Parker, CO 80138

More info: Tickets and details from Parker Arts

Photo credit: El Pueblo History Museum

¡Fandango! Ballet Folklórico Showcase 2022

What: History Colorado presents the ¡Fandango! Ballet Folklórico Showcase 2022 featuring four incredible ballet folklórico dance groups from across the United States performing on the lawn at the El Pueblo History Museum during Pueblo’s Chile and Frijoles Festival. Attendees will witness incredible dance groups including Ballet Folklorico de Barajas from Colorado Springs, CO; Ballet Folklorico de Colores from Mendota, IL; Grupo Folklorico Basaseachi from Denver, CO; and Grupo Xochitl from Pueblo, CO. The ¡Fandango! Ballet Folklórico Showcase is curated by Iskra Merino of Grupo Omawari. Free with festival admission. 

When: September 24, 2022 from 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Where:

El Pueblo History Museum

301 North Union Avenue

Pueblo, CO 81003

More info: Tickets to the Pueblo Chile and Frijoles Festival available online

We hope you and your family will enjoy exploring what Colorado’s National Hispanic Heritage Month has to offer. Follow La Familia/The Family Center on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram for more family-friendly ideas and activities.