National Hispanic Heritage Month

The Waukegan Park District will celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with several programs and events from Sunday, September 15, 2024 to Tuesday, October 15, 2024. The special programming will honor the Latino community and their contributions to arts, culture, and history. 

Program/EventDateTimeLocationFeeRegistration
Waukegan’s Latino History on the Waukegan History Companion AppAll monthVirtual FreeClick Here
Zumba Fitness NightMonday, September 16, 20246pm to 7pmField House Sports, Fitness & Aquatics CenterFreePast Event
Parents’ Night OutFriday, September 20, 20245:30pm to 9omField House Sports, Fitness & Aquatics CenterFree/$15Past Event
Family Lotería NightFriday, September 20, 20246pm to 7pmBelvidere Recreation CenterFreePast Event
Taste of Hispanic HeritageThursday, September 26, 20246pm to 7:30pmBelvidere Recreation Center$10/$12Past Event
Family Lotería NightFriday, September 27, 20246pm to 7pmBelvidere Recreation CenterFreePast Event
Family Lotería NightFriday, October 4, 20246pm to 7pmBelvidere Recreation CenterFreeRegister for Waitlist
Sugar Skull Decorating WorkshopSaturday, October 5, 202410am to 12pmJack Benny Center for the ArtsFreeFull
Sugar Skull Decorating WorkshopSaturday, October 12, 202410am to 12pmJack Benny Center for the ArtsFreeFull
Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) Community CelebrationSaturday, November 2, 20241pm to 4pmJack Benny Center for the ArtsFreeNot required

According to the National Archives, National Hispanic Heritage Month began as “Hispanic Heritage Week” under President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 and expanded to “Hispanic Heritage Month” under President Ronald Reagan when it was enacted into law in 1988. September 15 is the start of Hispanic Heritage Month because it is the independence day for multiple Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico’s independence day is on September 16 and Chile’s independence day is on September 18.