Pasadena will celebrate Latino heritage with nearly two months of free festivals, cultural workshops, story times and community activities beginning Friday and continuing through early November.
The citywide celebration will recognize the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans with roots in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Spain.
The schedule begins with Fiestas Patrias from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Villa Parke Community Center, 363 E. Villa St. The family-oriented event will honor independence movements across Latin America with live music and traditional dances performed by local community groups.
The centerpiece of the celebration will be the 28th annual Latino Heritage Parade and Festival on Oct. 10.
The parade will begin at 4 p.m. at Los Robles Avenue and Buckeye Street, with local schools, community groups, elected officials and other participants traveling through Pasadena.
A festival featuring community activities will begin at 5 p.m. in front of Pasadena City Hall, 100 N. Garfield Ave.
The parade and festival are sponsored by the city and the Pasadena Latino Heritage Committee.
Other activities include a Sip & Paint program at 4 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Villa Parke Branch Library. Participants will drink aguas frescas while creating fruit-inspired paintings based on the picture book “A Song of Frutas.” The program is open to children 3 and older and their families, but advance registration is required.
Residents 18 and older can participate in a series of salsa workshops from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 25, Oct. 2 and Oct. 9 at Villa Parke Community Center.
Culinary programs will include a pupusa-making workshop from noon to 2 p.m. Sept. 26 and a pan de muerto workshop from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 3. Chef Alex Peña will lead the pan de muerto session and discuss the history and cultural traditions surrounding the Mexican bread.
Pasadena libraries will also host several programs, including a Sept. 26 online discussion of Reyna Grande’s “Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Cannot Forget” and an Oct. 24 presentation on California’s Spanish and Mexican history by Gloria Arjona.
Day of the Dead activities will begin Oct. 10 with an ofrenda nicho box and flower-making program at the Hastings Branch Library.
Community altars will be displayed from Oct. 17 through Nov. 7 at the Hastings, La Pintoresca and Santa Catalina branch libraries. Residents may contribute photographs, messages and family mementos honoring deceased loved ones.
The city will hold its Dia de los Muertos celebration from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 30 at Villa Parke Community Center. The event will include dance performances, arts and crafts, food for purchase and traditional altars. Residents may bring framed photographs for the community altar.
A free outdoor screening of Disney’s “Coco” is scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 15 at Madison Elementary School, 515 E. Ashtabula St. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs and snacks. Free popcorn will be provided.
Throughout the celebration, the city will also highlight Latino-owned businesses on its social media accounts. Additional information and registration details are available through the Pasadena Public Library’s online calendar and at PasadenaLatinoHeritageParade.org.
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