September 2018: National Hispanic Heritage Month

Enjoy Missouri events celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Western Missouri

• Enjoy the Kansas City Fiesta Hispania for daily live entertainment and plenty of food and beverage choices. The annual festivities take place from September 14 through September 16 at Barney Allis Plaza. Please visit online for more details.
• On September 14 from 4:30 to 11:30 p.m., Guadalupe Centers will hold their Blanco y Negro Awards Gala to bring together community and civic leaders to honor and thank those individuals and institutions that have contributed to improving the quality of life for Kansas City Latinos. The annual black-tie fundraiser begins at 5:30 p.m. and will be held at The Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. Additional information may be found online.
• Explore KC Hispanic News, a mainstream newspaper offering a bi-lingual English to Spanish publication to a weekly readership of 35,000 in the Kansas City metropolitan area. For current news, visit online.

• Fiesta on the Square takes place in Gladstone on September 15 at Linden Square located at 602 Northeast 70^th Street. This special event will feature food from Mi Ranchito, as well as dancing and music by KC Latin and Jazz All-Stars. Check out the website for additional details.

• We invite you to participate in the second annual Latino Arts Festival, which will be held in the lot in front of 520 Minnesota Avenue, Saturday, September 22. The festival provides an opportunity for Latino artists through the various mediums to share their works with the community, an option of this level not typically afforded to them. The Latino Arts Festival will feature the work of local Latino artists who represent visual art, music, lowrider builders/artists, and youth art. The artists will introduce concepts that influence, educate, and celebrate family and community through Latino art and culture. Please visit the Arts KC website for more details.

Central and Southwest Missouri

• The University of Missouri hosts Dr. Tony Castro as he discusses the topic of Teaching About Race in Teaching Education. Talking about race can be difficult in any setting; however, having such conversations is crucial for preparing teachers who will likely teach in diverse settings. In this session, Dr. Castro will discuss some of the research on teaching race to beginning teachers. For more information, please visit online.
• The City of Springfield hosts First Friday Art Walk: Mexico’s Independence Day on September 7 to celebrate Mexico’s independence. This event, held at the Morris Center, features traditional Mexican art, clothing, games, and snacks. In this Art Walk, you will be able to explore Mexico’s history from its pre-Hispanic time to what it is today.
• The City of Joplin hosts its Third Thursday event on September 20 in honor of Hispanic Heritage month. Third Thursday is Joplin’s premiere community cultural event. Every Third Thursday during March through October, thousands of people gather on Main Street in Downtown Joplin from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. to enjoy local artisans, music, entertainment, and food.

Eastern Missouri

• The Greater St. Louis Hispanic Festival begins September 21 and runs daily through September 23 in Soulard Park, located near 7^th Street and Lafayette, St. Louis. The festival involves a group of volunteers whose purpose is to unite all Hispanics, regardless of their social, economic, and political background. For more information, visit the site or call 314-837-6100.
• The St. Louis Cardinals welcome all members of the Latino and Hispanic community for a cultural celebration during Hispanic Heritage month. On Sunday, September 16, the Cardinals invite you to Fiesta Cardenales at Busch Stadium. With purchase of a special Theme Ticket, fans receive a one-of-a-kind Cardenales cap. In addition, a portion of each ticket sold will benefit the Hispanic Educational, Cultural and Scholarship Foundation. Please email ahernandez@hccstl.com or call 314-664-4432 to purchase tickets.
• The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (HCC STL) Foundation will hold the Twelfth Annual HCC STL Foundation Golf Classic on Thursday, September 13, 2018, with a 1 p.m. shotgun start. Please join us for a great day of golf for a good cause. The event will include a golf tournament, lunch, dinner, raffles, and silent auction. The golf tournament will be held at the Norman K. Probstein Golf Course in Forest Park at 6141 Lagoon Drive.

Learn more about Hispanic heritage:

• Spend time with a good book from a Hispanic Heritage Month suggested reading list from websites such as Scholastic and All About Adolescent Literacy.
• Check out fun facts and historical information celebrating Hispanic American heritage, culture, and contributions on the National Hispanic Heritage Month website. 
• Expand your knowledge by exploring the United States Census Bureau’s facts page. For additional information on Hispanic origin or related topics, visit online.