Pembroke Pines prepares for its 3rd Annual Hispanic Heritage Festival with music food and cultural celebrations

Pembroke Pines, Florida – Pembroke Pines is preparing for an evening filled with music, food, family activities and cultural traditions as the city gets ready to host its 3rd Annual Hispanic Heritage Festival. The event will take place Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Charles F. Dodge City Center, 601 City Center Way.

The festival is designed to bring people of all ages together while celebrating the many cultures, customs and traditions that make up the Hispanic community. Rather than focusing on one country or one style of celebration, the event will highlight Hispanic heritage from across the region and around the world through entertainment, food, art and interactive experiences.

For residents and visitors, the evening will offer plenty of ways to take part. Some areas will be centered around live performances, while others will give children opportunities to play, create and learn. There will also be spaces where adults can relax and enjoy familiar traditions.

At the center of the celebration will be the main stage, known as El Escenario. The entertainment lineup will bring together several Latin music styles, moving from traditional rhythms to contemporary sounds.

The evening will begin with Jacareo, whose performance will showcase the lively sounds of Puerto Rican Plena. Alayn Garcia will follow with Cuban salsa, before Jey Zamorano brings Colombian salsa to the stage.

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The festival will close with Melina Almodóvar, known affectionately as La Muñeca de la Salsa. Her high-energy performance is expected to bring the evening to a lively finish and give festivalgoers another reason to get up and dance.

Together, the performers will provide a musical journey through different Hispanic traditions while keeping the focus on culture and community. The main stage program is presented by Baptist Health.

Another returning attraction will offer a much quieter, more nostalgic experience. For the second consecutive year, Abuela’s House will welcome visitors into a setting inspired by the warmth and hospitality often associated with Hispanic family life.

Guests at Abuela’s House can enjoy complimentary Cuban coffee, bite-sized sandwiches and lemonade. They can also walk through Abuela’s flower garden or simply spend time in the space, which is designed around memories of family, traditions and hospitality.

The area is presented by Publix Super Markets.

Throughout the festival grounds, guests will also encounter Voces y Pasos, where roaming cultural performers will bring Hispanic traditions directly to the crowd. Flamenco dancers, Mariachi musicians, folkloric performers and cultural characters will move throughout the event, creating opportunities for visitors to experience the performances up close.

The roaming entertainment is intended to make the festival more interactive rather than keeping all of the cultural performances on a single stage. Voces y Pasos is presented by El Zol 106.7.

Children will have a special place of their own at El Patio, which is being transformed into La Granja for this year’s festival. The interactive farm experience will give younger visitors a chance to meet characters including El Gran Gallo y La Vaca.

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Farm-themed games, hands-on activities and photo opportunities will be part of the experience. The popular Piñata Party will also return, giving families an opportunity to gather for a family picture.

Presented by Florida Blue, La Granja is designed to introduce children to Hispanic culture through play and imagination, creating an experience that is both entertaining and family-oriented.

Adults will not be left out of the celebration. La Cueva will provide a place for Abuelos and Papás to relax, talk and enjoy traditions of their own. One of the featured activities will be a live cigar-rolling demonstration, giving guests a chance to watch a traditional craft.

The area will also include dominoes, a game that has long been enjoyed in many Hispanic communities and is often connected with family gatherings and social time. La Cueva is presented by Aficionado’s Premium Cigars & Lounge.

The festival will also encourage guests to explore language, creativity and family connections through Cartas y Corazones. Participants will be invited to write heartfelt notes in Spanish to family and friends, creating a simple activity centered on communication and relationships.

Children will have another creative opportunity through Mis Colores, a new bracelet-making activity. Young participants can create colorful bead bracelets representing their family’s heritage and cultural roots.

Together, the activities are intended to connect different generations while celebrating friendship, language and creativity. Cartas y Corazones is presented by The Frank C. Ortis Art Gallery.

Food, shopping and cultural discoveries will come together at El Mercado. The marketplace will feature handcrafted goods, artwork, clothing, jewelry, plants and other products representing Hispanic countries and traditions.

Food will be a major part of the experience. Vendors, food trucks and dessert sellers will offer dishes and flavors connected to Puerto Rico, Cuba, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and other Hispanic cultures.

Visitors will be able to move through the market while sampling savory dishes and sweet treats, browsing merchandise and discovering artwork and cultural items. El Mercado is presented by Space Coast Credit Union.

For children interested in cooking, La Cocina de Mamá will offer a different kind of cultural experience. Inspired by memories of cooking with mothers and tías, the activity will turn a colorful play kitchen into a place where children can explore Hispanic food traditions.

Using IMUSA kitchen tools, play dough and child-safe utensils, children will be able to pretend to prepare dishes such as empanadas, arepas and tamales. Parents, grandparents and tías are encouraged to participate and share family stories, recipes and traditions.

The activity is presented by IMUSA and is built around the idea that food can connect generations. Instead of simply learning about dishes, children will have an opportunity to explore the family stories and traditions that often accompany them.

The festival will also include two full-service bars under the name El Bar x2.

“El Bar x2 – Donde cada trago celebra cultura.”

For guests age 21 and older, the bars will offer domestic, imported and Latin-inspired beverages, including cocktails, beer, wine and specialty drinks.

With music on the main stage, cultural performers moving through the grounds, family activities, food vendors and spaces dedicated to Hispanic traditions, the festival will offer several different ways for visitors to experience the evening.

The 3rd Annual Hispanic Heritage Festival is intended to celebrate the diversity of Hispanic cultures while giving families, friends and neighbors a place to gather. From salsa and Plena to traditional crafts, food, games and family memories, the event will bring many parts of Hispanic heritage together in one evening in Pembroke Pines.

More information is available from the city’s Special Events Office at 954-392-2116.