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SALT LAKE CITY — There's no shortage of things to do in Utah during Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs through Oct. 15.
The month has been observed at a national level since 1988 when activists successfully petitioned President Ronald Reagan to expand Hispanic Heritage Week, which had been recognized since 1968. Gov. Spencer Cox signed a proclamation last year recognizing it in Utah.
"The history of Utah cannot be discussed without acknowledging the history of the Hispanic and Latino people within the region," Cox's proclamation reads. "Since 2010, the population of the Hispanic community has grown by 38%, vastly outpacing the national average."
According to the 2020 Census, 15% of Utah's population is Hispanic or Latino. That's about half a million people.
The month kicked off on Sept. 15 because it is the anniversary of independence for many Latin American countries. More information about Hispanic Heritage Month is available at hispanicheritagemonth.gov or the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs.
Events
Celebration of the 212th anniversary of the independence of Mexico, Wednesday, Sept. 14
The Mexican Consulate in Salt Lake is holding a celebration in honor of the 212th anniversary of Mexico's independence. The free celebration is 6-9 p.m. at the Gallivan Center in Salt Lake City. The event will have food trucks and live entertainment, including folklorico dance and mariachi bands.
El Grito de Independencia: Celebrating Mexican independence, Thursday, Sept. 15
Mexican Consul Jose Vicente Borjon will perform the grito, or shout, of "Viva Mexico!" ("Long live Mexico!") and guests will be able to participate with calls of "viva!" The free event will also have live dances and music, Mexican food and beverages and resource booths. It runs from 7-10 p.m. at Centro Civico Mexicano in Salt Lake City. More info is available here.
Vineyard Latino Festival, Saturday, Sept. 17
Utah Mamá Latina and Mama Connect are hosting the Vineyard Latino Festival from 2-10 p.m. on Saturday. The festival, held at Vineyard Grove Park, will include live music, folkloric performances by local and international groups, traditional arts and crafts, local vendors and Latino cuisine.
"It will be a great day to appreciate and celebrate the diversity of Hispanic cultural heritage in the state of Utah," the organizers said on Facebook. "Our goal with this event is to bring the community together as we kick off the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month and show why our culture and traditions make all of us who we are."
Quinoa Harvest and Andean Festival in Panguitch, Saturday, Sept. 17
Members of the public will be able to learn more about quinoa — a modern "superfood" with deep roots in Andean culture — through talks with experts and a hands-on harvest. Other free events throughout the day include a llama walk, a movie at the Panguitch Gem Theater, llama rides for children, and demonstrations and instruction on the use of guaraca, a type of Andean slingshot.
The festivities will take place at the Panguitch Social Hall on Saturday. The main event, however, is a ticketed dinner show from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The dinner includes a buffet of traditional Peruvian foods like lomo saltado (a beef stir-fry served with rice and french fries) and chicha morada (a drink made from purple corn, fruits and spices). During the dinner, live traditional Andean music will be performed by Los Hermanos de Los Andes.
Proceeds from the dinner will go to the nonprofit Pachyonychia Congenita Project, which helps patients of the rare genetic skin disease. More information available here.
Gran Latino Festival in Cache Valley, Saturday, Sept. 17
The second annual Gran Latino Festival in Cache Valley will be held on Center Street in Logan. Participants can enjoy a flag parade, Latin food, live music and performances starting at 4 p.m. and ending at 7 p.m.
Poesía, Relatos, Cuentos y Música en Español: Open Mic, Saturday, Sept. 17
Calling all Latino writers, musicians and poets. Artes de México en Utah, Utah Humanities SLCC Community Writing Center are hosting a Spanish open mic from 2 to 5 p.m. at SLCC Community Writing Center. Registration is not necessary and participants are invited to share poetry, short stories and songs. More information available here.
Celebración Sinfónica: Latin Fire, Tuesday, Sept. 20
This concert is a celebration of Latin American orchestral music featuring Costa Rican trumpeter Jose Sibaja and Mexican soprano Mónica Ábrego. Sibaja has played with Latin stars like Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, Celia Cruz; while Ábrego has performed around the world with a diverse repertoire that includes opera, folk and pop.
The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. at Maurice Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City. A fair will take place before the show at 5:30 p.m. at the Abravanel Hall plaza. Tickets and additional information available here.
BYU's Annual Fernando R. Gomez Lecture on Latinos, Thursday, Sept. 22
Jennifer Ortiz, director at the Utah Division of State History, will give Brigham Young University's Annual Fernando R. Gomez Lecture on Latinos. Ortiz will present an interactive session on public history and how Latinos can share their stories.
The lecture series honors Fernando R. Gomez, the director of the Museum of Mormon Mexican History in Provo. Gomez is considered to be the premier public historian on Mexican Mormon history and has an extensive collection of artifacts and historical accounts about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mexico and the Southwest.
The lecture will be held at 1:45 p.m. at the Harold B. Lee Library. It will also be livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook.
Silicon Slopes Latino's Encuentro, Thursday, Sept. 22
The Silicon Slopes Latino Chapter is hosting an encuentro to connect Latin American leaders in the tech and innovation community. The free event is 5:30-7:30 p.m. at The Leonardo museum in Salt Lake City. Food will be provided by MONARCA restaurant. More information and registration is available here.
Festival Latino de Payson, Saturday, Sept. 24
Payson is hosting its Festival Latino on Saturday, Sept. 24, at noon at the Peteetneet Amphitheatre. The free event will include a variety of performers as well as food trucks and booths from different Latin American countries.
Bombazo Comunitario, Salt Lake City, Sunday, Sept. 25
Utah's only Puerto Rican bomba group, Bomba Marile, is hosting a free community event on Sunday, Sept. 25, at the University of Utah Black Cultural Center.
Bomba is a traditional music and dance style in Puerto Rico that has evolved into a form of community expression. It is typically played in a community setting. Members of the public will be able to try their hand at playing, dancing and singing bomba during the event.
Participants are invited to bring food and nonalcoholic drinks to share and a chair or blanket since the event is outside. Free parking will be available behind the Black Cultural Center.
Jarabe Mexicano: Music Beyond Borders, Ogden, Wednesday, Sept. 28
Quintet Jarabe Mexicano blends together Mexican folk music, rock, Tex-Mex and reggae-cumbia for a musical treat. The group is performing at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at Ogden Amphitheater. Tickets and more information are available on the amphitheater's website.
Day of the Dead Sugar Skull Decorating Family Workshop, Salt Lake City, Thursday, Sept. 29
Families can learn about sugar skull decorating with Mexican artist Noemi Balcazar-Hernandez. Sugar skulls, which have become almost synonymous with Day of the Dead, are far more than just a decoration. The skulls have roots in pre-Colombian Mesoamerica and represent a departed loved one.
The workshop is 5:30-7 p.m. at Granite Park Junior High in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Sept. 29.
Sugar Skull! A Dia de Muertos Musical Adventure, Salt Lake City, Saturday, Oct. 1
In this bilingual, bicultural musical, 12-year-old Vita Flores goes on a magical journey to unravel the true meaning of Dia de Muertos. The show also includes regional music and dance from Mexico. The musical starts at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1. Tickets are available at Utah Presents.
Latinx Heritage Celebration Poetry Reading, Wednesday, Oct. 5
The SLCC Student Writing & Reading Center is highlighting poet and writer Gloria Arredondo this year for the Hispanic Heritage Month. Arredondo will do an hourlong reading at the SLCC Student Writing & Reading Center starting at noon. The reading will also be broadcast on Zoom. More information available here.
Día de los Muertos en Ogden, Saturday, Oct. 8
This free event has it all: music performances, vendors, face painting tutorials, sugar skull decorating, a student art and music showcase and more. The band Suenatron, which mixes modern and traditional Mexican music, will also perform.
Community members can submit photos and videos of departed friends and family to be honored at the event's altar. Submissions are due by Sept. 30.
The event is 12-10 p.m. at Ben Lomond High School on Saturday, Oct. 8. More information available here. Profits from the event and any other community donations will go to provide scholarships for Latino students, particularly DACA recipients and first-generation students, in the Ogden and Weber County area.
Ogden Hispanic Festival, Saturday, Oct. 15
Ogden's sixth annual Hispanic festival will highlight the culture, history, education, music, dance and food of the Latino community. The free event is 2-7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15, at Ogden Union Station. This year's theme is "Civic Engagement and Culture, the Path to Education and Success."
"Our goal is to bring the Ogden and surrounding community together to celebrate the diverse Latino culture and provide a forum where resources from organizations and businesses alike that value, embrace and celebrate diversity, can connect with the Latino community," said Latinos United Promoting Education and Civic Engagement, the event's organizer.
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