Hispanic/Latine Heritage Month begins September 15, and the celebration continues through October 15 to mark the vibrant histories, cultures, and contributions of Latinx individuals. For parents and teachers, here is a helpful resource to fill in any knowledge gaps and start conversations with kids.
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month as a family with events, storytimes, games, as well as books and movies! We’ll be adding new kid-friendly activities as we find them. At the bottom of this post, we’ve linked to a few delicious, local restaurants to try (ones that kids really like).
Hispanic Heritage Month Events in the East Bay
Saturday, September 12, 2026
10:30 am - 12:00 pm: Latinx Visual Arts Workshop @ West Branch | Berkeley Public Library, BerkeleyTuesday, September 15, 2026
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm: Alebrijes Paper Craft @ Hercules Library, HerculesWednesday, September 16, 2026
10:30 am - 12:00 pm: Cascada de Flores @ Richmond Civic Center Plaza, Richmond2:00 pm - 3:30 pm: Cultural Crafting Series @ Fruitvale Branch | Oakland Public Library, Oakland
Thursday, September 17, 2026
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm: Muñeca Lelé Doll Craft @ Moraga Public Library, MoragaSaturday, September 19, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm: Ballet Folklorico de Ricardo Velazquez Performance @ Brookfield Branch | Oakland Public Library, Oakland1:00 pm - 2:00 pm: Hispanic Heritage Month Craft @ Fruitvale Branch | Oakland Public Library, Oakland
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: ¡LoterÃa! @ Main | Alameda Free Library, Alameda
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm: Linocut Block Printing @ 81st Avenue Branch | Oakland Public Library, OaklandWednesday, September 23, 2026
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm: Cultural Crafting Series @ Fruitvale Branch | Oakland Public Library, Oakland5:00 pm - 7:00 pm: Cooking with Chef Marlene @ Dimond Branch | Oakland Public Library, Oakland
Thursday, September 24, 2026
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm: Papel Picado Workshop - RSVP @ West End Branch | Alameda Free Library, AlamedaSaturday, September 26, 2026
10:30 am - 11:00 am: Latino Heritage Month Storytime @ Centerville Library, Fremont12:00 pm - 6:00 pm: Mariachi Festival @ Southland Mall, Hayward
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm: Viva Fall Fest @ Fourth Street Shops, Berkeley
Sunday, September 27, 2026
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm: Cumbia Dance Workshop @ Newark Library, NewarkTuesday, September 29, 2026
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm: Papel Picado Craft @ North Branch | Berkeley Public Library, BerkeleyWednesday, September 30, 2026
10:30 am - 11:00 am: A Sprinkle of Spanish @ Central Library | Berkeley Public Library, Berkeley2:00 pm - 3:30 pm: Cultural Crafting Series @ Fruitvale Branch | Oakland Public Library, Oakland
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm: Crafternoon: Alebrijies @ San Pablo Public Library, San Pablo
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm: Cultural Crafting Series @ Fruitvale Branch | Oakland Public Library, Oakland2:30 pm - 3:30 pm: DÃa de Los Muertos Calavera Decorating @ Martin Luther King Jr Branch | Oakland Public Library, Oakland
Friday, October 9, 2026
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm: Calavera Decorating @ Brookfield Branch | Oakland Public Library, OaklandSaturday, October 10, 2026
10:30 am - 11:30 am: Una Ofrenda Musical- A Musical Altar for our Muertos @ Main Library | Oakland Public Library, Oakland2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Cooking with Chef Marlene @ Elmhurst Branch | Oakland Public Library, Oakland
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Screen Printing with Chris Granillo @ Melrose Branch | Oakland Public Library, Oakland
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm: DÃa de los Muertos with Cascada de Flores @ Claremont Branch | Berkeley Public Library, Berkeley
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Mexican Folk Art @ San Lorenzo Library, San Lorenzo
Sunday, October 11, 2026
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm: Mariachi in the Library @ Main | Alameda Free Library, AlamedaTuesday, October 13, 2026
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm: DÃa de los Muertos Piggy Banks Craft @ Martin Luther King Jr Branch | Oakland Public Library, Oakland4:00 pm - 5:00 pm: Worry Doll Craft @ North Branch | Berkeley Public Library, Berkeley
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm: Calavera Decorating @ Montclair Branch | Oakland Public Library, Oakland2:00 pm - 3:30 pm: Cultural Crafting Series @ Fruitvale Branch | Oakland Public Library, Oakland
Saturday, October 17, 2026
10:30 am - 11:15 am: Aguacate Music @ North Branch | Berkeley Public Library, Berkeley11:00 am - 2:30 pm: DÃa de los Muertos Story Time and Crafts @ Hayward Area Historical Society, Hayward
11:00 am - 12:30 pm: Make Your Own Mini Piñata @ Piedmont Ave. Branch | Oakland Public Library, Oakland
More Ways to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Visit La Catrina in Fruitvale
From October 1 through November 1 (DÃa de los Muertos), a 34-foot La Catrina sculpture will be on display. She represents the enduring connection between generations and is super cool to look at. Learn More >
Latinx Month Celebration at Children’s Fairyland
Weekends Sep 26 to Oct 11. Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with three weekends of arts & crafts, hands-on activities, workshops, and live performances from local artists. Learn More >
Latinx+ Engineering Day at Exploratorium
September 26. Join a family-friendly, science-filled day where visitors of all ages can participate in hands-on exhibits, interactive activities, and connect with engineers and STEM educators from the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). More info >
Hispanic Heritage Celebration at the SF Zoo
Oct 3. Spend the day celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month through folklorico performances, bilingual storytimes, animal connections, and local food. Learn More >
Visit the Mission Murals, San Francisco
Anytime. Walk or drive to see the fabulous, colorful community murals in San Francisco’s Mission District. An audio tour is available. Map and details >
Favorite Latinx Heritage Books to Read and Movies to Watch with Kids
Some of our favorite books by Latinx authors or illustrators:
- Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
- TÃa Isa Wants a Car by Meg Medina
- The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
- ¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market by Raul the Third
- Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal
Plan a family movie night to open the door to bigger conversations. Look to films that may be familiar to your kids, like Disney’s Coco or Encanto. These plot lines capture some cultural traditions and history that you can discuss together.
Find Latinx Restaurants Kids Love in the East Bay
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a delicious meal. Some of our favorite East Bay restaurants are:
- Cholita Linda (Oakland + Alameda) | Peruvian-American street-food favorites
- Picante (Berkeley) | Mexican cuisine
- Cafe Platano (Berkeley) | Salvadoran cuisine
- Tacos Oscar (Oakland) | Taqueria, vegan-friendly
- Casa Latina Bakery (Berkeley) | Mexican bakery and eatery
For more kid-friendly Latinx restaurants, see 99 Restaurants kids love or global eating for East Bay kids.
Tell us: How will you observe and celebrate Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month with your kids?
