517 Hispanic Heritage Weekend

The Ourspace Foundation will help kick off Hispanic Heritage Month with its annual Hispanic Heritage Weekend, bringing four days of cultural entertainment and education to downtown Lansing. 

The weekend begins with a wellness seminar at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at City Hall, welcoming four panelists to share insights on mental health, financial growth, professional development and cultural pride. Speakers include Adriana Lopez-Ellis, the Lansing Economic Area Partnership’s small business liaison; Alejandra Rojas, the founder of Brown Way to Money, a financial education platform for women entrepreneurs; Rafael Gonzalez, a financial and housing counselor; and Trini Lopez-Pehlivanoglu, an at-large member of the Lansing City Council. The discussion will be moderated by Yesenia Murillo, the leader of the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services team that administers the statewide minority health program. 

A Latin dance class at 6 p.m. Friday on the Lansing Shuffle Patio will teach beginners the basics of salsa and bachata, with a mixer and dance party featuring beats by DJ E-Nyce to follow. 

The weekend’s biggest event, the Taste of Hispanic Heritage Festival, runs from 3:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday in front of the Capitol, offering more than 50 Hispanic vendors and food trucks, a liquor trailer, a kids’ zone, luchador wrestling, performances by the CasArt Foundation dancers, live music by BachaPopi and the Meche Trejo Band, and additional music by DJ Dolo. 

The weekend wraps up with a Latin jazz night at 6 p.m. Sunday on the Lansing Shuffle patio, featuring “a captivating blend of salsa, Latin jazz and Afro-Caribbean rhythms” by Michigan State University’s Salsa Verde ensemble and DJ Dolo. Attendees are invited to grab a drink and relax to the soulful sounds or get up and groove on the dance floor. 

All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit 517hispanicheritage.com.