09/10/2025
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, SUNY Cortland will join downtown Cortland partners to present the Crown City Latinx Festival on Saturday, Sept. 20.
The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Groton Avenue parking lot located between Los Lagos and the Hollywood restaurants. This community celebration is free and open to all.
Festival highlights include:
- SUNY Cortland’s Ritmo Latino dance group will perform on stage and invite the crowd to join in for beginner-friendly dance lessons.
- Local restaurants will offer flavors of Latin culture including Los Lagos and Veracruzana Mexican Restaurant, along with a variety of other local vendors serving unique bites and goods.
- A Latin DJ will keep the energy high throughout the day.
- A lively mariachi band will bring the traditional sounds of Mexico to the heart of Cortland.
- CNY Latino of Syracuse will hold a dominoes tournament.
“Each year at SUNY Cortland, we observe Latiné Heritage Month, also known as National Hispanic Heritage Month, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of people whose heritage come from Latin America,” said the organizer of these upcoming on-campus events, Jose Ortiz, assistant professor of foundations and social advocacy.
The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on Sept. 15 and ending on Oct. 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988. The day of Sept. 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
“We are asking for proposals from faculty, staff and students who would like to be a part of the 2025 Latiné Heritage Month calendar of events here at SUNY Cortland,” Ortiz said.
The deadline to submit proposals is Friday, Sept. 12. For more information, contact Ortiz at jose.ortiz@cortland.edu or River Vooris, assistant director of multicultural life and diversity, at river.vooris@cortland.edu.