Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month
Categories EVENTS & HAPPENINGS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THINGS TO DO
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated each year from September 15 through October 15, recognizing the histories, cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities.
Here in Tempe, there are plenty of ways to take part through food, music, dance, storytelling, art, local history and live performances. A few events even fall just outside the official dates, so there’s plenty to keep on your calendar throughout the fall.
Start With the Food
Tacos are always a good place to start.
Downtown Tempe has plenty of spots serving up Mexican and Southwestern favorites, from quick taco stops and longtime local go-tos to modern takes on classic dishes. Make it a Taco Tuesday, try somewhere new or start working your way through the list.
See Dining Options
Music, Dance & Culture
QUÉ CALOR at Sunbar
September 11 | Sunbar | 21+
Start the celebration a little early with a night of today’s Latin hits on the Sunbar Patio. DJ Rico will be spinning Karol G, Bad Bunny, Peso Pluma, Feid, Young Miko, Shakira, J Balvin, Becky G and more.
Las Calakas + Ruta Verbena
October 9 | Tempe History Museum
Bring a lawn chair or blanket and settle in for a free outdoor concert at Tempe History Museum. Local bands Las Calakas and Ruta Verbena will fill the plaza with Chicano Cumbia fusion and dance-driven music inspired by South American rhythms.
Indígena
October 11 | Tempe Center for the Arts
Spend the afternoon experiencing music, dance, storytelling, fashion, art and traditions inspired by Latin America’s pre-Columbian cultures.
Presented in collaboration with Tempe Center for the Arts and curated by Cultural Coalition, this free, family-friendly event also includes hands-on art activities throughout the day.
Stories for the Little Ones
Cuentos Contigo / Stories with You
October 9 | Tempe Public Library
Stories, songs and rhymes come to life in both Spanish and English during this bilingual family storytime.
Designed for young children and their caregivers, Cuentos Contigo creates a fun, interactive way to enjoy reading while hearing and engaging with both languages.
Art, History & Culture
Louis Carlos Bernal: The Godfather and Icon of Arizona’s Chicano Fine Art Photography
September 9 | Tempe History Museum
Get an early start on the month with a closer look at the work of Louis Carlos Bernal, one of Arizona’s influential Chicano fine art photographers.
Dr. Anita Huizar-Hernández will explore Bernal’s contributions to Chicano photography, with a special focus on his 1977 Benítez Suite and its look at life in the Borderlands.
Ranfla Vida: Local Lowrider History
On display through December 31 | Tempe History Museum
Lowrider culture takes center stage at Tempe History Museum in Ranfla Vida, an exhibition exploring the people, stories and local history behind the cars.
Lowriding grew within Mexican American communities following World War II and became an art form rooted in creativity, identity, family and community.
While you’re there, don’t miss El Arte de por Vida, on display through September 26. The companion exhibit features work from six local artists exploring cultural connections to lowriders and the lowrider community.
Pachucos of the 1940s: More Than a Suit
September 17 | Tempe History Museum
There’s a lot more to Pachuco culture than the iconic zoot suit.
Presented by La Familia Unida Pachucos y Pachucas de Arizona, this free program looks at how young Mexican Americans in the 1940s used fashion, music and language to express identity and cultural pride during a time of widespread discrimination.
Hispanics in Tempe: The Story of Victory Acres
October 14 | Tempe History Museum
Take a closer look at the history of Victory Acres and its place in Tempe’s Hispanic community.
Fifth-generation Arizonan D.A. Romero explores the neighborhood’s story of resilience, cultural identity, displacement and change during this free Tempe History Society Lunch Talk.
Hispanic Stories Take the Stage
2026 National Latine Playwrights Award & Festival
September 17 | Arizona Theatre Company
Arizona Theatre Company celebrates 2026 National Latine Playwrights Award winner Evelina Fernández and her play, Blow Away the Clouds, during a free evening at Tempe Center for the Arts.
Set in 1930s Arizona, the play brings together Arizona history, Latine culture, storytelling, song and live music. Written primarily in English with Spanish woven throughout, the staged reading features a cast of five and a live guitarist.
The evening begins at 5 p.m. with happy hour and a performance by Mariachi Rubor, followed by a conversation with Fernández and the creative team at 5:30 p.m. and the reading at 6 p.m.
Admission is free, but advance registration is required.
Keep the Celebration Going
Hispanic Heritage Month officially ends October 15, but the calendar doesn’t stop there.
Tempe Tardeada
November 1 | Tempe Community Complex
Tempe Tardeada returns November 1 for a full day celebrating the history, music and culture of Tempe’s Hispanic community.
This free, family-friendly tradition includes live entertainment, community dancing, interactive activities and local food vendors.
The event also gives back through the Tempe Tardeada Scholarship, which awards eligible Tempe high school seniors up to $2,500 toward educational expenses. This year’s scholarship recipients will be recognized during the celebration.
Orkesta Mendoza
Saturday, November 14 | Tempe Center for the Arts
Keep the music going with Arizona-based Orkesta Mendoza.
Led by Sergio Mendoza, the Latin fusion band mixes cumbia, mambo and ranchera with psychedelic rock and indie influences for a sound that’s hard to sit still through.
Hispanic heritage is part of Tempe’s food, music, art, history and community year-round. This fall, catch a show, explore an exhibit, try a new restaurant or spend some time learning more about the people and traditions that have helped shape Tempe.