With the attendance of just over 200 people, the Hispanic Canadian Heritage Council (HCHC) held its Annual Fundraising Gala titled “Latin American Multicultural Journey 2023.” Diplomats, social, political, economic, and business leaders, academics, artists, and more gathered to support the projects promoted by HCHC while also celebrating the multicultural spirit of our community.

The event also served to present graduation diplomas to the 30 participants of the School4Civic Program 2023, as well as to announce the launch of a citizenship campaign to take place next fall.

A heartfelt thank you to all who supported and participated in this wonderful event filled with identity, music, dance, Latin American food and drinks — especially to the Consulate of Argentina for providing the wines, Peru for the pisco, Mexico for the folkloric dances, and El Salvador for the art exhibition.

See you again on Sunday, June 25 at the Latin Fair 2023, the Latin American community fair to be held at Artscape Wychwood Barns and Park, located in the Christie and St. Clair area!

Are you a visual artist? Can you imagine your paintings, drawings, or photographs being displayed on four large screens at Dundas Square, right in the heart of Toronto? This will be possible on Saturday, September 28, and Sunday, September 29, during the Latin Parade and Fall Fiesta 2024.

Twenty-two artists were selected to participate in the first art exhibition that brought beauty and creativity to La Feria Latina this past Sunday, June 23. The event — a true celebration of creativity and culture — attracted around sixty submissions from talented Latino artists following a social media call, according to Josué Ortiz, member of the Hispanic Canadian Heritage Council (HCHC) team and the visionary curator behind the exhibition.

The overwhelming response confirmed the importance of these spaces, emphasizing the need for them to continue and expand. For that reason, there will be something new this time for the Fall Fiesta and Latin Parade, held every year to mark the beginning of Hispanic/Latin American Heritage Month in Toronto.

During these events, artists of Latin heritage will come together once again to promote this beautiful culture and its traditions through music, dance, and gastronomy. But this year, for the first time, visual arts will also be part of the festivities through a digital exhibition.

The HCHC and Josué — “an architect by profession and photographer at heart,” as he describes himself — have envisioned that on September 28 and 29, as part of the Fall Fiesta and Latin Parade, a selection of artworks by Toronto-based artists will be projected on four screens located at the iconic Dundas Square.

Painting, drawing, photography, and more will be featured in a visual ballet across two vertical and two horizontal screens, each showing a piece by approximately thirty Latin Canadian artists for about five seconds, in continuous cycles throughout both days.

For La Feria Latina on June 23, Josué explained that the curatorial goal was to highlight Latin artists whose works reflect their experiences and lives in Toronto. For this new edition, thirty Latin artists will be selected whose art speaks about their culture. The open call for submissions is once again being shared on social media and will remain open until August 30.

Events like these bring the community together — not only Latinos, but all residents of Canada who wish to learn about and take part in this cultural exchange. As Nicaraguan-born photographer Josué Ortiz noted, “It’s a way to connect” with others — and a way to remember where we come from.

This upcoming exhibition will not be just another event; it promises to be a visual symphony resonating in the hearts of all who attend — a celebration of Latin cultural diversity and boundless creativity. As the leaves begin to change colour and autumn approaches, we prepare to witness a showcase of the rich artistic tradition that continues to flourish in Toronto.

Those interested in exhibiting their artwork in this innovative cultural showcase can contact the organizers at: eventos@hispaniccanadianheritage.ca

Toronto is getting ready for an explosion of colour, music, dance, and tradition that promises to ignite the heart of the city. This September, the main streets of Toronto will become the stage for a lively celebration of Latin culture — where every step, every note, and every smile will tell the story of a rich and diverse heritage.

The Latin Parade and Fall Fiesta is not just an event; it is a symbol of pride and a unifying force for Latin American communities across Canada. Get ready to immerse yourself in an experience that celebrates the best of our roots, with a parade that will make Toronto’s heart beat even stronger!

The Hispanic Canadian Heritage Council (HCHC) announced this week that the cultural event marking the opening of Hispanic/Latin American Heritage Month in Canada will take place on Saturday, September 28, and Sunday, September 29. On Saturday, September 28, at 11 a.m., the Latin Parade will take over Bloor and Yonge Streets, and on both Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., La Fiesta Latina will be held at Dundas Square.

Since its founding in 2014, the Hispanic Canadian Heritage Council has worked tirelessly to preserve and promote Latin culture in Canada. Thanks to its efforts, October was officially proclaimed Hispanic/Latin American Heritage Month at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels — a recognition of our roots celebrated with pride. However, celebrating our identity is not limited to a single month; throughout the year, the HCHC organizes a wide range of cultural activities.

On September 28, Toronto will be filled with joy and rhythm for the Latin Parade — a procession that, since 2019, has brought colour, flavour, and music to the streets as all Latin American countries come together to showcase the diversity of their traditions.

So, what exactly is the Latin Parade? Carolina Testa, a graphic designer with over ten years of experience in cultural management and a key member of the organizing team, describes it passionately: “This parade shows that although we come from different Latin American countries, there is something in our culture that unites us — something that connects us deeply.”

Oscar Vigil, Executive Director of the HCHC, shares that same emotion: “It’s exciting to bring that colour, that flavour, that feeling, that rhythm from our home countries and share it here, in a Canadian society that has welcomed us with open arms.”

This year’s Latin Parade promises to be more spectacular than ever. In addition to the creative floats accompanying dancers and musical groups, there will be two exciting new features. First, a stand review will be set up midway through the parade route to introduce and highlight each participating group. This stand will be located on Bloor Street, right in front of a BMO branch — one of the event’s main sponsors. Second, opening this year’s festivities, dancers from the iconic Club Tropicana of Cuba will lead the parade for the first time in Toronto, following in the footsteps of the talented carnival dancers from Corrientes, Argentina, who opened the parades in the past two years.

An unmissable event! More than just a parade, the Latin Parade has become a massive celebration that continues to grow in strength and recognition since its beginnings. This year, alongside Latin American consulates in Toronto and representatives from various levels of Canadian government, delegations from other regions of Canada — including Montreal, Ottawa, London, Kitchener, and Manitoba — are also expected to participate.

For the first time, Latin American officers from the Toronto Police Service will also join the parade, accompanied by historic police vehicles that once served the city.

The parade will begin promptly at 11 a.m. at the corner of St. George and Bloor Streets, continuing along Bloor to Yonge Street, then turning onto Yonge until reaching Dundas Square. There, each participating group will give one last performance on stage.

But the celebration doesn’t end there. Dundas Square will be transformed into the home of the Fall Fiesta on September 28 and 29, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. both days — a festival where everyone in Toronto can enjoy delicious food, handicrafts, music, dance, and activities for all ages and tastes.

Finally, it’s worth emphasizing that this is a Latin celebration that brings people together. It all comes to life thanks to the dedication of passionate volunteers, the support of committed organizations, and funding provided by the Department of Canadian Heritage.

The Latin American consulates in Toronto — including Mexico, El Salvador, Panama, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and others — play a key role in these celebrations, along with companies and organizations such as BMO, LiUNA Local 183, El Gaucho, Carranza LLP, Filici Immigration Services, and the Cuba Tourism Office in Canada.

With contagious enthusiasm, Carolina Testa invites everyone to follow the HCHC on social media for updates on this magnificent event, adding: “The more of us that join, the louder we’ll be — and the bigger the Latin celebration will become! Music brings us together, it moves us. The invitation is open — come and join this great fiesta!”

The Spanish-speaking community in Canada is celebrating this October in a special way, following the official recognition by the Federal Parliament of Latin American Heritage Month. As highlighted in this interview by the director of the Hispanic Canadian Heritage Council, Óscar Vigil, it is “the result of the effort of many people who have been pushing for many years.” 

In the very heart of Toronto, with the chords of Canada’s national anthem blending with Colombian cumbia, the folk sounds of Mexico, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Venezuela, Argentine wine, and the delicious Peruvian pisco with which the toast was made, Toronto Mayor John Tory, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism Pablo Rodríguez, Senator Rosa Gálvez, HCHC directors, consuls, and leaders of our community raised their glasses to the historic moment of Spanish-speaking immigrants in this country, on a truly memorable night.

The event was held to announce to the world and to Canadians — but especially to the Hispanic and Latin American community — that Parliament and the Federal Government have declared October as Latin American Heritage Month (according to the official Act of Parliament). However, in HCHC’s invitation, it is referred to as Hispanic/Latin American Heritage Month, or Mes de la Herencia Hispano-Latina, as one of the organization’s directors explained.

Por Ciro Alquichire V., en La Portada, 2 Oct. 2018

The celebration of Hispanic Latin American Heritage Month reaches its fourth year — officially. It first began as a municipal initiative in Toronto in 2009. Then, in 2015, it expanded to gain recognition from the Province of Ontario. And now, as expected, it has become a federal celebration — with the ‘blessing’ of the Canadian Parliament.

The opening, held last Thursday the 27th in Toronto, featured as the central guest the Latin American–born politician with the most prominent position in the country: Argentine-Canadian Pablo Rodríguez, who recently took office as federal Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism. Also present were Canadian Senator Rosa Gálvez — of Peruvian origin; Toronto Mayor John Tory; and notable figures such as Ana Bailao — Deputy Mayor and Councillor — and Cristina Martins, former Provincial MPP.

Missing, of course, was the one everyone hopes to see, the “mero mero,” as Mexicans would say — the Prime Minister. But word has it that the popular Justin Trudeau will finally appear at Latin American Day on Parliament Hill, October 16 in Ottawa.