CALÓ Cultura: Heritage month's opening weekend

It’s that time of year again when governments, corporations, businesses, and others declare the last half of September and the first half of October as Hispanic / Latino / Latinx  Heritage Month, which is rather absurd. Couldn't they just give us the entire month of September or October? Better yet, let's take both! But when we think about it, our heritage, history and culture should be and is actually celebrated all year long! Regardless, here are just a few of the exciting, thought-provoking and entertaining events taking place over the next few days. We're sure we've missed a few, so please keep us informed of your upcoming cultural happenings by sending info to abelardo@latinomedia.org.

For more than 40 years, Santa Ana's annual Fiestas Patrias event has celebrated the diverse Latino cultures throughout Orange County. This year, the public event returns to the Downtown Santa Ana Historic District on 4^th Street on Saturday, September 14 and Sunday, September 15, featuring live music, cultural performances, traditional food, a street fair, carnival rides, a beer garden and more. Mariachi Los Reyes and Larry Hernandez will perform on Saturday and Marisol Terrazas and Ezequiel Peña take the stage on Sunday. On Sunday at 10 a.m., the city will host a parade featuring local community groups, traditional dancers, music and other special guests. Also on Sunday, the ceremonial El Grito De Dolores, honoring the traditional call to arms on the eve of Mexican Independence Day, will take place on the festival's main stage at 7 p.m. Click here for more info.

After several months of preparation, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes launches as a PST ART Community Hub, part of The Getty’s PST ART: Art & Science Collide, Southern California’s landmark arts event. The weekend of September 14 and 15, the downtown museum and cultural center kicks off a seven-month public program and the opening of a two-gallery exhibition co-developed and co-designed with nine PST ART Community Hub partners: Art Space HP, Columbia Memorial Space Center, Garden School Foundation, Las Fotos Project, Meztli Projects, Mujeres de Maiz, Pacoima Beautiful, Stay Arts Gallery and Tia Chucha Centro Cultural. The first event will take place on Saturday with a workshop led by Las Fotos Project. That same day, guests explore our two-gallery exhibitions: "CONEXIONES: Cultivating Community Action" and "Louis Verdad: TONÁNTZIN" in the second-floor gallery. On Sunday, LA Plaza will buzz with activity in celebration of Fiestas Patrias Family Day with a dozen free workshops led by their community hub partners; performances by Neiya Arts Folklorico Dance Group, Las Marimbas de Valle and The Mariachi Conservatory; tours and a meet & greet with fashion designer Louis Verdad. All activities are family-friendly and free. To explore the entire program of LA Plaza’s PST ART Community Hub, click here.

For the California Preservation Foundation’s Third Annual “Open Doors California” project, La Señora Research Institute de Rancho Boca de Santa Monica and L.A. Cultural Heritage Preservation Society present “A Tribute to Opera Singer & Hollywood Film Star José Mojica,” celebrating the life and career of the famed Hollywood film star, opera singer and friar on September 14 and 15 at La Señora Research Institute in Santa Monica. The weekend event will include lectures in English and Spanish by historian John Koegel and archivist Alejandra Espasande; a photographic exhibition; refreshments; a tour of the Mojica Hacienda’s botanical gardens and the screening of the rarely seen Hollywood Spanish-language feature film “El Rey de los Gitanos / The King of the Gypsies” presented with English subtitles, shown courtesy of the UCLA Film & Television Archive and the Walt Disney Studios. Click here for tickets.

Lowrider fans are invited to line up for a close-up view of a fleet of iconic cars and motorcycles as the Petersen Automobile Museum in Los Angeles hosts a Lowrider Parade this Sunday afternoon in celebration of Mexican Independence Day as part of its ambitious ongoing exhibition, “Best in Low: Lowrider Icons of the Street and Show” which runs through April 2024. This two-hour curated procession showcasing lowrider builders, painters, and hydraulics masters steps off at 10 am on Sunday, September 15, at the museum, cruising down the Miracle Mile / Wilshire Boulevard. Following the parade are an awards ceremony celebrating the best in the show, Folklorico dancing, family-friendly activities, and an all-female panel discussion with exhibition curator Dr. Denise Sandoval and others. Click here for more info.

On Sunday, September 15, the City of Los Angeles will mark the beginning of Latino Heritage Month with the annual celebration of El Grito de Dolores – a celebration of Mexican Independence. This year’s theme is “La Fiesta del Pueblo,” a celebration of the working people, indigenous peoples, women and organizers that are an integral part of Latino culture and history. This annual tradition includes Los Angeles leaders joining the Consul General of Mexico to reenact the historic Cry of Dolores, launching the Mexican War for Independence. The free event will be held on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall and Gloria Molina Grand Park from 5 to 10:30 pm. El Grito will feature a concert with live performances by El Dasa, Lorenzo Mendez, Julian Torres, and Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea. Food trucks, activation booths, and artisanal and food vendors from the Community Power Collective will also be on site. Click here for more info.

Located in the city of Lawndale, the Experimentally Structured Museum of Art (ESMoA) is a catalyst for creative thinking in the South Bay. Starting Monday, September 16, ESMoA, in collaboration with El Camino College, will present “XICANA!, an exhibition that aims to showcase the works of renowned Chicana artists, celebrate their contributions, educate the public and emphasize the cultural and social significance of Chicana art. Curated by Dulce Stein, the exhibition taking place on the college campus highlights the importance and social impact of Chicana art in promoting cultural awareness, challenging stereotypes and fostering community empowerment. Featured artists include: Olivia Barrionuevo, Emilia Cruz, Sonya Fe, Consuelo G. Flores,  Star Montana, Shizu Saldamando and more. A reception will be held on September 26 from 4:00 to 8:00 pm. Click here for more info.