Friday, September 18, 2026

Latino Heritage Parade Returns to Pasadena Streets After a Year Off

The Oct. 10 procession steps off at Los Robles Avenue and Buckeye Street, a year after organizers set it aside

A parade will lead Pasadena’s Latino Heritage celebration for the first time in two years, stepping off at 4 p.m. Oct. 10 at Los Robles Avenue and Buckeye Street, according to the City of Pasadena.

The 28th annual Latino Heritage Parade and Festival continues at 5 p.m. in front of Pasadena City Hall, 100 N. Garfield Ave., and runs to 9 p.m. It anchors a month of free programming marking National Latino Heritage Month in a city where 34% of residents are Hispanic or Latino and 41.9% of residents age 5 and older speak a language other than English at home, according to U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts.

The parade’s return follows a year without one. The Pasadena Latino Heritage Committee canceled the 2025 parade, citing “the current issues impacting our beloved community,” and held only a festival, on Oct. 11, 2025, in Centennial Square in front of City Hall, according to the Pasadena Community Foundation, which administers the event’s fund.

The observance the city is marking is fixed in federal law. Congress created National Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 under Public Law 90-498, then expanded it to the 31-day period from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 under Public Law 100-402, signed Aug. 17, 1988, according to the Library of Congress. Sept. 15 was chosen because it is the independence anniversary of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The observance is codified at 36 U.S.C. § 126.

Interim City Manager Matthew Hawkesworth invited residents to join the city in “honoring the rich history, culture, traditions, and contributions of our Latino community.” The parade and festival are sponsored by the City of Pasadena and the Pasadena Latino Heritage Committee.

Other free programming runs through the month. Salsa workshops meet from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 25, Oct. 2 and Oct. 9 at Villa Parke Community Center, 363 E. Villa St. A pan de muerto baking class with chef Alex Peña runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 3 at the same site, and an ofrenda nicho box workshop begins at noon Oct. 10 at Hastings Branch Library, 3325 E. Orange Grove Blvd. A free screening of “Coco” starts at 6 p.m. Oct. 15 at Madison Elementary School, 515 E. Ashtabula St.

Community ofrendas will be on display Oct. 17 through Nov. 7 at the Hastings, La Pintoresca and Santa Catalina branch libraries. A Día de los Muertos celebration follows from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 30 at Villa Parke Community Center. Residents who want to display an altar there must reserve space by Oct. 15 by calling (626) 744-6530.

Saturday, Oct. 10, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Pasadena City Hall, 100 N. Garfield Ave., Pasadena. For more call (626) 744-7311 or visit https://www.pasadenalatinoheritageparade.org/. Admission: free.