Latinx Heritage Month is a celebration of culture and history that takes place every year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. Regardless of your nationality, the month provides Philadelphia with lots of fun ways to explore the city's vibrant Latinx culture through art, soccer, and more. With about two weeks left to go, here are four fun ways to celebrate in Philly.
Puerto Rican Day Parade
The Puerto Rican Day Parade is the oldest and biggest outdoor celebration of Latinx and Puerto Rican culture in Philadelphia. About 1,500 marchers and 5,000 attendees will flood Benjamin Franklin Parkway with a display of Latinx Caribbean music, poetry, dance and floats. Local celebrities and youth groups will also be taking part in the annual parade organized by Concilio, the Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations of Philadelphia. The parade begins at 16th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Sept. 29 at 12 p.m. and ends at Eakins Oval near the Philadelphia Museum of Art at 3 p.m.
Philadelphia International Unity Cup
The Philadelphia International Unity Cup is a World Cup style soccer tournament that celebrates Philly’s diverse immigrant communities through sports. The tournament began on Aug. 2 and will culminate with the championship game on Oct. 12. All of the games are free, although you will need a ticket to attend the championship. Unity Cup Director Bill Salvatore explained how the cup serves as a way to bring people together.
“It’s kind of a tough time in our country, so I think the more that we can bring people together regardless of whether [it’s] the Hispanic community, the African community, the European community, it’s super important to promote unity across the country, not divisiveness”, Salvatore said.
Mexican Art at the Kimmel Center
The Kimmel Center currently has two free art installations that are part of the center’s exhibition of multiple Mexican artists. “Look Up! Look In” was created by a visual artist named Karina Puente, who is based in Philly. Her installation includes papel picado, a form of Mexican folk art. “Los Trompos” contains the interactive work of Hèctor Esrawe and Ignacio Cadena. The exhibit includes a series of three–dimensional sculptures that were crafted using a traditional fabric weave in a variety of shapes and colors. The art is intended to make visitors think about the history of heritage and culture, and how it relates to their own.
Samuel Lind / Portales at Taller Puertoriqueño
Samuel Lind / Portales is an Afro–Puerto Rican artist whose work is on display at Taller Puertoriqueño through Jan. 11, 2020. His art brings awareness to issues of racial justice, spirituality, cultural legacy, gentrification, and the environment. On Friday, Oct. 4 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. there will be a free reception where you can meet the artist himself. Taller’s Executive Director Dr. Carmen Febo San Miguel, M.D. described Lind as “a very Puerto Rican afrocentric artist in an area of Puerto Rico that preserves a lot of that culture.” Taller Puertoriqueño will also host a panel on Sept. 28 at 1p.m. with the artist and environmentalists from Puerto Rico and Philadelphia.
