This year will mark the 216th anniversary of Mexico’s Independence, celebrated on Wednesday, Sept. 16.
Festivities, however, will begin this Saturday, Sept. 12, with the Mexican Consulate in El Paso and the city of El Paso joining together for a big celebration at the El Paso Convention Center.
The biggest Mexican holiday, known as 16 de septiembre, commemorates the date in 1810 when the priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla urged Mexicans to rise against the Spanish colonial government. The call, known as El Grito de Dolores, or the Cry of Dolores, is named after the town of Dolores, Mexico, where the cry originated.
The binational event, ¡Vivamos México! will be a great family event, organizers said.
"¡Vivamos México! is a celebration of the traditions,
culture, and values that have united generations offamilies throughout the Paso del Norte region. We are proud to share this celebration with the communityin El Paso and to continue strengthening the friendship that unites our two countries,” said Mauricio IbarraPonce de León, Consul General of Mexico, in a news release.
The event kicks off a series of cultural events in El Paso in September and marks Hispanic Heritage Month.
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 every year. It pays homage to the history of Hispanic Americans, especially those who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society, according to hispanicheritagemonth.gov.
Here are the top ways to celebrate this month.
Plaza Hotel celebration
The Plaza Hotel will celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with Alma Viva | An Evening of Movement, Culture & Connection from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, in the Trost Ballroom.
Guests are invited to celebrate heritage and community with an energizing Vinyasa flow set to live acoustic music and a Latin-inspired DJ set. Afterward, the group will head to the Mezzanine for a local artisan market, cash bar, and build-your-own taco stations. Tickets ($65.87) include YogaFlow, taco buffet, a welcome drink, and market access.
¡Vivamos México!
¡Vivamos México!, a free, family event celebrating traditions and culture, will take place from 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at the El Paso convention center.
The evening will feature the official Grito de Independencia ceremony led by the Banda de Guerra and Escolta from the Instituto Tecnológico de Ciudad Juárez. The event will also include a Lucha Libre Match, live Mariachi music, local talent performances, food trucks, an artisanal crafts market, and a Kids Zone.
The event is organized by the Consulate General of Mexico in El Paso, Destination El Paso and the city of El Paso.
Kermes de los Vecinos
Families are invited to an afternoon filled with music, games, dancing, and culture as the El Paso Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC) and El Paso Museum of History (EPMH) celebrate Mexico's Independence Day with the second annual Kermés de los Vecinos on Saturday, Sept. 12.
The free, family-friendly celebration takes place from noon to 6 p.m. at the MACC, EPMH, and adjoining Cleveland Square Park, bringing the Downtown Arts District to life with the sights, sounds, and traditions of Mexico.
The event will feature DJs, mariachis, and dance performances, free games, hands on arts and cultural activities, and food vendors. There will also be a piñata from 5 to 5:30 p.m.
Fiesta de la Cultura
The Solana at 750 Sunland Park Drive is bringing the Fiesta de la Cultura, a two-day Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, to El Paso from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16. The event will feature music, art, dance, family activities, and the Upper Valley Market. Admission and family activities are free.
Sun Metro Streetcar celebration
El Pasoans are invited to enjoy an El Paso Streetcar ride and listen to a performance by Freddy Hernández from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept 12. Boarding begins at the convention center stop in Downtown El Paso (Santa Fe Street & Henry Trost Court). Track the Streetcar with the Ride Sun Metro app, available for iOS and Android.
Zin Valle hosts Saturday music
Zin Valle Vineyards is featuring Saturday Music with Julio Ortiz, from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12 at 7315 Canutillo, La Union Road, Canutillo.
The event is free and open to the public. The winery is open from noon to 5 p.m. The Z Bistro food truck is also open from noon to 5 p.m.
No reservations are accepted or necessary and all seating is first-come, first-served. For questions, email ryan@zinvalle.com.
Magoffin Home hosts Hispanic Heritage Month lecture
The Magoffin Home will feature a lecture for Hispanic Heritage Month from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 1117 Magoffin Ave. The talk, Past and Present, will be given by ... Free.
Educator Martín López will discuss the history of Hispanic Heritage Month and how it has been celebrated in El Paso.
El Paso Symphony Orchestra begins with celebration of Mexico
The El Paso Symphony Orchestra's 2026-2027 classical series will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 18-19 at the Plaza Theatre.
The program will celebrate Mexico, featuring groundbreaking photography of its beautiful people and places, captured by Nicholas Bardonnay of Westwater Arts. The stunning visuals will be accompanied by the music of Marquez's Danzon No. 2 and Moncayo's Tierra de Temporal, projected on a big digital screen. Tickets ranging from $15 to $52 plus fees are available at epso.app.getcuebox.com
Learn repujado at Doña Ana Community College Library event
The Doña Ana Community College (DACC)'s Library is hosting an event in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month.
Festivities will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16 at the DACC Sunland Park Center, 3365 McNutt Road in Sunland Park, N.M. There will be fresh fruit and paletas, Lotería, and an opportunity to create a Repujado Affirmation box, which is a decorative container that has metal embossing.
Attendees can register for the event online.
El Paso Locomotives host Noche de Locos
The El Paso Locomotives are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month on Friday, Sept. 25, with its annual Noche de Locos! Join in for a night dedicated to celebrating culture, featuring a Noche de Locos jersey giveaway to 1,500 fans through the gates, a pre-match performance by mariachi, and a special-edition matchday poster giveaway.
The game will start at 7 p.m. Get tickets online or at the Southwest University Park box office. Tickets start at $17 plus fees.
María Cortés González may be reached at 915-546-6150; mcortes@elpasotimes.com; @eptmaria.bsky.social on Bluesky, and @eptmariacg on TikTok
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Where to celebrate Mexican Independence in El Paso, Hispanic Heritage
