{"id":78104,"date":"2026-08-31T11:14:29","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T17:14:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=78104"},"modified":"2026-08-31T17:28:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T23:28:35","slug":"fiestas-patrias-in-colorado-springs-celebrating-hispanic-heritage-and-health-goals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/fiestas-patrias-in-colorado-springs-celebrating-hispanic-heritage-and-health-goals\/","title":{"rendered":"Fiestas Patrias in Colorado: Celebrating independence days and Hispanic Heritage Month"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Mexican dancers in colorful dresses performed at the 2024 Fiestas Patrias festival in downtown Colorado Springs. Photo by Chuck Bigger, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Horses prance and Mexican dancers swish their colorful dresses during Fiestas Patrias events as Coloradans celebrate independence for Mexico and other Latin American countries during Hispanic Heritage Month.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like a family reunion, like we\u2019re back in Mexico. There\u2019s such a great sense of community,\u201d said Claudia Navarro Martinez, who loves attending the annual Fiestas Patrias<\/a> celebration in Colorado Springs.<\/p>\n

Hispanic Heritage Month<\/a> takes place each year in the U.S. from September 15 to October 15.<\/p>\n

The celebrations commemorate independence movements that took place in the 1800s as people in Mexico and Central and South America fought for freedom from colonial oppressors in Spain and Portugal.<\/p>\n

Key Independence Day celebrations during Hispanic Heritage Month include:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

September 15: The day when people in countries including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua celebrate their independence from Spain.<\/p>\n

September 16: The day when people from Mexico celebrate the beginning of their fight for independence from Spain. On September 16, 1810, a Mexican Catholic priest named Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla encouraged parishioners in Dolores, Guanajuato, Mexico to rise up and break free from Spanish rule. He became known as the “father of Mexican independence.”<\/a> Colonial authorities executed Hidalgo<\/a>, so he did not live to see independence from Spain, which officially came years later on August 24, 1821. Celebrations on September 16 often begin with cries for freedom: \u201cMexicanos, viva M\u00e9xico!\u201d as people remember and honor Hidalgo’s sacrifices.<\/p>\n

September 18: The day when people in Chile celebrate their independence from Spain.<\/p>\n

People from other Latin American countries mark their independence celebrations on other days<\/a> outside of Hispanic Heritage Month, including:<\/p>\n