Happy Valley Latin Festival Returns to Launch Month of Hispanic Heritage Events

National Hispanic Heritage Month will kick off in State College with the return of a Latin festival, as part of broader programming across the area.  

The sixth annual Happy Valley Latin Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza and 100 block of South Fraser Street. The festival is free and open to the public.

This year, the festival officially opens Hispanic Heritage Month for the region, with programming and events slated both nationally and countywide through Oct. 15. 

Organizers expect the event to once again bring together thousands of residents and community visitors for live music, dance performances, food, art and cultural programming and traditions. According to organizers, the festival drew roughly 2,500 attendees last year, and they are expecting to reach 3,000 this year.

Founded in 2021, the festival was developed by Adianez “Ady” Martínez, owner of Juana’s Venezuelan Cuisine, as a way to create a larger platform for Latino and Hispanic artists, businesses and community members. 

The festival’s growth later led to the creation of Latin Vibe, a nonprofit known for organizing cultural, educational and community programming throughout the year. 

This year’s festival will feature a parade showcasing children carrying flags representing their families’ countries of origin and traditional dresses. 

Food vendors will offer dishes from across Latin America, while artisans and businesses, including several Latina-owned vendors making their festival debuts, will set up throughout the event.

The Happy Valley Latin Festival will be followed by events on Penn State’s University Park campus and throughout the State College community. The Penn State Hispanic Heritage Month Committee will sponsor a series of free events starting mid-September.

On Monday, Sept. 14, the Center for the Performing Arts will host The Joyfull: Hispanic Heritage Month Edition from 6 to 8 p.m. in Heritage Hall at the HUB-Robeson Center. 

The free event will explore Latinx culture through food, arts and other experiences and will include previews of the Center for the Performing Arts’ 2026-27 season. Registration is required. 

Among the featured events is the second annual Latin Art Exhibition, “Hands That Build, Roots in Motion: We plant, we build, we flourish.” The exhibition will highlight work by local and regional Latinx and Latin American artists and follow last year’s inaugural #SomosCultura exhibit.

An opening reception for the exhibition is scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16 at the State College Municipal Building, 243 S. Allen St. The exhibit will remain on display through Oct. 15.

On Wednesday, Sept. 16, sociologist Nancy Foner will discuss the ways America’s immigration history continues to shape modern policies, public attitudes and the experiences of immigrants. 

The program, “Immigration: How the Past Shapes the Present,” will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. in Room 202 of the Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building. The discussion will draw from Foner’s book of the same name and is sponsored by Penn State’s Department of History and Latino Studies Program. 

The Paul Robeson Cultural Center will host a Community Ofrenda from noon to 2 p.m. Sept. 19. Participants will be invited to contribute messages of gratitude and remembrance to a ceremonial altar honoring loved ones who have died. 

The event will include free food from local vendors, and the ofrenda will remain on display at the Paul Robeson Cultural Center through Oct. 9. 

Penn State students will participate in a two-part Dolores Huerta Day of Service focused on local food access and community service. 

The first event, Honor Dolores Huerta: Harvest at the Student Farm, will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Student Farm. Volunteers will harvest produce and flowers that will be donated to St. Andrew’s Community Cafe. 

The second part, Serve the Community: St. Andrew’s Community Café, will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 1 at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in State College. Volunteers will help serve dinner to community members. 

The events honor Dolores Huerta, the labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers. 

On Thursday, Oct. 3, families will be invited to Children’s Day from 10:30 a.m. to noon in the Schlow Centre Region Library Community Room. The event will include face painting, crafts, games and traditional snacks, along with activities introducing children to Hispanic and Latinx cultures. The program is recommended for children ages 3 and older. 

A community conversation titled “Café con Leche: Unity Across Difference: Let’s Talk About It!” will follow from 5:45 to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 6 in the Flex Theater at the HUB-Robeson Center. 

Organized by the Latino Caucus, Paul Robeson Cultural Center and Center for Social Change and Belonging, the event will bring participants together for conversation about connecting communities while recognizing different experiences and perspectives. Coffee and refreshments will be provided. 

The Paul Robeson Cultural Center will also host “Fun Friday” from noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9 in Heritage Hall at the HUB-Robeson Center. The event will include free food, art, games and other activities. 

Cultural Night will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9 in Heritage Hall at the HUB-Robeson Center. The free event will feature food, entertainment and a performance by Penn State’s Caliente Dance Team, a student organization focused on sharing and celebrating Latino cultural heritage. 

Eladio B. Bobadilla, an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh whose research focuses on immigration, social movements and working-class history, will serve as the keynote speaker. 

The events will bring a range of cultural, educational and community programs to the State College area as organizers mark Hispanic Heritage Month and continue a celebration that begins with the Happy Valley Latin Festival.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed annually from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, recognizing the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans with roots in Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. 

The observance begins on the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile also celebrate their independence days during the period, on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively. 

Originally established as Hispanic Heritage Week by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968, the observance was expanded to a month in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan.

More information and festival details are available through Happy Valley Latin Festival’s website.