YSU celebrates Hispanic National Heritage Month with a diverse selection of events

Monday, September 14, 2026

Youngstown State University will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 with programs that recognize and uplift the histories, cultures, achievements and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities.

Nicole Zayas-Balaz

The Hispanic Heritage Month Opening Ceremony will take place on Sept. 15 at 12 p.m. in the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County. Featured at the event as the keynote speaker will be YSU alumna Nicole Zayas-Balaz.

Zayas-Balaz, after completing a master’s in social work, is now a clinical social worker at the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. She is also a founding member of the Rust Belt Theater Company and a member of Organización Cívica y Cultural Hispana Americana, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of life for Hispanic and multicultural people in the Youngstown area.

The opening ceremony will be held alongside other events that will take place during the month, such as:

  • Hola Fest Youngstown, 12 p.m. - 9 p.m., Sept. 12, at Wean Park. Hola Fest is the largest celebration of Hispanic and Latin American cultures in Mahoning Valley, hosting a variety of parades, pageants, vendors, resources, food, children’s activities and live entertainment. For additional information visit The Hola Fest website.
  • A Taste of Latin American Heritage - Cooking Series, 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Sept. 15, at the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County (Main). This event is the first part of a four-part series known as A Taste of Latin Heritage. Here you can learn healthy eating habits with the delicious flavors of Latin America. For additional information contact 330-333-7781.
  • Amate Mexican Folk Painting, 11 p.m. - 12 p.m., Sept. 19, at the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County (Boardman). Learn about Amate folk art by participating in this event where you can paint designs inspired by Mexican culture.
  • Paint and Sip, 3 p.m., Sept. 20, at Piccadilly Parlour. Paint and Sip offers an afternoon where creativity can flourish alongside tea and scones. The cost is $35 per person. Text 330-233-1096 to reserve your spot or book your seats.
  • I Read YA! Book Club, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m., Sept. 21, at the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County (Austintown). This event offers a place for fans of Young Adult literature to read and discuss. The book to read for this month will be “Estela, Undrowning” by René Peña-Govea.
  • La Noche Del Ritmo M.V.L.O + Dan Shiller, 8 p.m., Sept. 26, at Westside Bowl. Come see The Mahoning Valley Latin Orchestra and Dan Shiller who will once again be performing at the Westside Bowl. Tickets are $11.88 per person and can be purchased online.
  • Mexican Heritage and Sugar Skull Diamond Painting, 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Sept. 28, at the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County (Struthers). At this event you can diamond paint a sugar skull while learning about the upcoming El Día de los Muertos and sampling artists and authors of Mexican origin.
  • 16th Annual Non-Violence Parade & Rally, 3 p.m. - 5 p.m., Oct. 4, in Downtown Youngstown. To celebrate the start of Nonviolence Week, join in on the kick-off parade which starts on W. Wood Street and Wick Ave. and proceeds to the rally at the Raymond John Wean Foundation Park Amphitheater. For more information contact Penny Wells 330-207-4467 or pennywwells@sbcglobal.net.
  • Military History Lecture: Conquest, Memory, and Indigenous Resistance, 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m., Oct. 12, at the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor. This lecture takes a closer look at the Indigenous experience in both the past and present memory with panelists Luke Hardy, Matt O’Mansky, David Simonelli and moderator Martha Pallante. For more information contact 330-941-1314.
  • Hispanic Heroes: The Fighting 65 Regiment, 12 p.m. - 1 p.m., Oct. 17, at the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County (Main). Steffon Jones, historian for the PLYMC Hispanic Heritage program, will tell the story of the historical Puerto Rican unit of the U.S. Army.
  • O.C.C.H.A. Annual Gala Fundraiser, 5:30 p.m. - 10 p.m., Oct. 24, at Mr. Anthony’s Banquet Center. This celebration honors the OCCHA and their 54 years of service to the Hispanic and Multicultural community. Tickets are $70 per person. For tickets and sponsorship information call 330-781-1808 or email galafundraiser@occhaohio.org.
  • The Hispanic Heritage Celebration, 12 p.m. - 3 p.m., Oct. 10, at Penguin City Brewery. In collaboration with YSU, the Hispanic Heritage Celebration is a vibrant event that is free and open to the public. It offers live music, dance performances, cultural displays and children’s activities. Food and beverages available for purchase at the venue.

The observance’s dates hold special significance, marking the independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries, including El Slavador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

Having started as a week-long observance of the community by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968, the month has since been expanded into a month of celebration in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan. It honors over 60 million Hispanic Americans who make up about 19 to 21% of the U.S. population.

At YSU, Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity for campus and the Youngstown community to come together, learn from one another and celebrate the many voices and traditions that enrich our community. Events are coordinated by the YSU Hispanic Heritage Planning Committee, YSU Student Activities, YSU Sokolov Honors College, YSU Maag Library, the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County and community organizations.

For more information contact Ana Torres at amtorres@ysu.edu.