Celebrated September 15 through October 15, Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates Hispanic culture while acknowledging the contributions and promoting the history, culture, and more of Hispanic Americans. More specifically, those whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
We celebrate this month by appreciating the community’s heritage and vast contributions. Here are a few ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in Chicago, which is sure to be packed with exciting cultural events like festivals, performances, and live music, museums, Chicago exhibits, and more really come together to make this celebration a special one.
1. Start the celebrations at the Mexican Independence Day Parade
First on our list begins the celebrations. On Saturday, September 16, 2023, the 26th Street Mexican Independence Day Parade will kick off. The parade’s theme, “Tu Mexico, Tu Chicago,” will focus on Mexican identity and culture, emphasizing representing each state in Mexico. Parade participants and floats will represent the different states in Mexico, showcasing the many Mexican traditions and cultures residing not just in Little Village but all over Chicago and beyond. Be sure to be aware that this weekend involves heavy traffic and shutdowns of the roads in downtown Chicago.
📍Address: 26th St. from Albany to Kostner
2. Celebrate Latinx Month at The Field Museum
Going from September 15 through October 15, the Field Museum is celebrating Latinx Heritage Month. Hosting talks with Latinx staff members, learn more about the Field Museum’s intriguing scope of work, ranging from the city of Chicago to the Amazon rainforest.
There are free admission days throughout the month. Visitors in the Science Hub will be able to learn about the work scientists, researchers, and staff are doing with Latinx communities, rapid inventories in Latin America, and see items from the museum’s collections from these regions.
📍Address: 1400 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60605
3. Attend a free celebration at the Chicago History Museum
The first day of this heritage month honors the independence of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua’s independence from Spanish colonial rule on September 15, 1821, at the Chicago History Museum. Enjoy special events and engaging themes while also celebrating historic moments like the opening of the Benito Juárez Community Academy in Pilsen in 1997, after years of activism by Teresa Fraga, Mary Gonzales, and Raquel Guerrero.
📍Address: 1601 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
4. Head to Hispanic Heritage Night with the White Sox
The Chicago White Sox hosts Hispanic Heritage Night at the field every year. This year’s event falls on September 30th, where fans can enjoy live music, special performances, and delicious food, and now, there’s even a post-game drone show. Starting at 7 PM, watch the Sox face off against the San Diego Padres for an unforgettable game and overall event.
📍Address: 33 W 35th St, Chicago, IL 60616
5. Attend Hispanic Heritage Night with the Cubs
The Cubs Hispanic Heritage Celebrations will be at Wrigley on Tuesday, September 19 this year. The ballpark celebration will feature unique entertainment, live music, cultural cuisine options around the ballpark, and other recognitions of the Hispanic culture.
Most importantly, they have a special ticket offer, including a ticket to the Cubs-Pirates game at Wrigley Field and a special-edition Cubs Sugar Skull bobblehead.
📍Address: 1060 W.Addison St., Chicago, IL 60613
6. Stop by the National Museum of Mexican Art
Located in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, the National Museum of Mexican Art, a free museum in chicago, formerly known as the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum, features Mexican, Latino, and Chicano art and culture.
The museum showcases 3,600 years of creativity from both sides of the border, exemplifying the diversity of Mexican culture. Explore highlights from our permanent collection, which includes more than 18,000 seminal pieces from pre-Cuauhtemoc Mexico to the present, as well as a selection of contemporary productions presented at or by the Museum.
📍Address: 1852 W 19th St, Chicago, IL 60608
7. Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at The Morton Arboretum
Join The Morton Arboretum during National Hispanic Heritage Month to celebrate the cultures, histories, and contributions of those people whose ancestors came from Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. From September 15 to October 15, the observance spans the anniversaries of the independence of Latin American countries. Including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Chile. It also includes Indigenous Peoples’ Day or Día de la Raza on October 12.
📍Address: 4100 IL-53, Lisle, IL 60532