12 Hispanic Heritage Month Activities to Try

There are so many national and regional foods to choose from. Try a Venezuelan arepa, or get a taste of El Salvador with a warm and chewy filled pupusa. There's the complex flavors of mole poblano traditional to Puebla, Mexico, the seafood paella of Spain, fresh Peruvian lime-cured ceviche...anybody else hungry?

Looking for gorgeous jewelry, your new favorite makeup, and haircare for curly girls? These Latina-owned businesses have got you covered. And, any time is a great time to invest in your community by shopping local!

Mambo, rumba, cha-cha, or flamenco-dance your way into Hispanic Heritage Month. Learning some new moves is an energizing way to exercise (it's a fun date night activity, too).

You don't even need to leave the house to perfect your salsa steps with Salsanerd's virtual classes. Prefer to mix it up? Even beginners can learn to dance merengue, cumbia, and more through the aptly-named Latin Dancing Online.

Everyone loves a game night. Gather around the table for a round of lotería, a Mexican bingo game known for its colorful cards, which has long held a powerful nostalgic meaning within Latinx and Hispanic communities. Dominoes are another popular pastime for many of Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Dominican heritage in particular.

Buy the Millenial Loteria game

Or, given the wealth of talent across genres, several playlists. Pop hits from Jennifer Lopez, Camila Cabello, Rosalia, J Balvin, and Ricky Martin are perfect for your workout mix, for example. Dive into Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever you listen to round up some of your favorites and discover acts you've never heard before—feel free to draw inspiration from our roundup of Marc Anthony, Bad Bunny, and Selena songs, too.

May we suggest starting with Elite, or 4 seasons (soon to be 5) of La Casa de Papel (Money Heist)?

Related: 25 of the Best Spanish-Language Series

There are oases of eye-pleasing culture across the United States: Chicago boasts the National Museum of Mexican Art and the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture, while you'll find the Smithsonian's Latino Center in Washington, D.C. Many sites also offer online exhibitions as well as events that showcase less-explored aspects of the Latino diaspora, such as this streaming Smithsonian talk on "the tangible connections between baseball and Latino culinary traditions."

Podcasts are a great way to entertain yourself and learn something on the go. Some even present an opportunity to brush up on your language skills, such as News in Slow Spanish. Latinx Therapy, hosted by therapist Adriana Alejandre, offers mental health tips that center on Latinx communities. And WBUR's Anything for Selena, available in both English and Spanish, explores the legacy, life, and death of Selena Quintanilla.

Related: The Best Latino and Spanish podcasts

Nope, not Cinco de Mayo—that's a completely different holiday. Mexican Independence Day is September 16. It's the date marking the day in 1810 when a Roman Catholic priest named Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla delivered a rallying speech that's considered the first formal declaration of Mexico's independence from Spain.

Whether you prefer fiction or memoir, immersing yourself in the lived experience of another person is a great way to gain fresh perspectives.

Related: Eight Books by Latinx Authors to Check Out Right Now.

Dig into the films of Pedro Almodovar, Guillermo del Toro, and more celebrated Hispanic filmmakers who've made movies in their native language.

Related: 16 of the Best Spanish-Language Movies of All Time

Hispanic Heritage Month may arrive in the last week of summer, but we'd argue that paletas should be a year-round treat. The Mexican popsicles are simple to make; the basic main ingredients are water, sugar, lime juice, and fresh fruit. But flavor combinations abound—add chili, cream, chocolate, and whatever fruit combos you can dream up and turn your own home into a paletería.