Marina Martinez-Bateman

Marina Martinez-Bateman

Marina Martinez-Bateman (they/them) is an equity and communications consultant and ghost tour guide who moved to Portland in 2014. Read More

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A woman in a colorful embroidered huipil blouse holds a pineapple and smiles A woman in a colorful embroidered huipil blouse holds a pineapple and smiles
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Dancers from Alma Oaxaqueña perform at the largest celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month & Mexico’s Independence Day in the Northwest, El Grito Portland.
Credit: Lara Media and El Grito Portland

El Grito Portland

Steel yourself for the galvanizing cry celebrating Mexican independence.

3 min read
Marina Martinez-Bateman

Marina Martinez-Bateman

Marina Martinez-Bateman (they/them) is an equity and communications consultant and ghost tour guide who moved to Portland in 2014. Read More

Lloyd
Editor's Pick
When
Sept. 14–15, 2025
Daily, Times vary
Free
Where
1 N Center Ct St
Portland, OR 97227
Rose Quarter Commons

El Grito, or “The Cry,” marks the call to arms that launched Mexico’s fight for independence in 1810. Every year on September 16, the president of Mexico rings the same historic bell to honor the bravery of that moment. In Portland, El Grito is more than history — it’s a lively festival celebrating Latine culture, food, music and community.

Folklorico dancers twirl their colorful ruffled dresses as they perform at a festival
Folklorico dancers from Cosecha Mestiza perform at El Grito Portland, the largest celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month & Mexico’s Independence Day in the Northwest.

Credit: Lara Media and El Grito Portland

“El Grito is a terrific opportunity to value and celebrate the Latinx culture and traditions that contribute to the cultural, economic, and social well-being of our whole community, said Victoria Lara, CEO of Lara Media and founder of the Portland Grito Festival. “It brings people together, promotes inclusion, and creates a strong, more vibrant and cohesive community.”

The celebration also honors the independence of Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, all of which won their independence in mid-September.

FAQ

Where is El Grito Portland?

Follow the scent of sizzling festival food to the Moda Center Commons, located between the Moda Center and the Winterhawks Stadium. Pay for parking at the Garden Garage — having gone myself, I suggest you park on the third level and meander through the green exit doors, down the hallway to your right and through the glass doors to the Commons. Head up the stairs where you’ll see food vendors, the main stage, and beyond that, a pavilion of artists and the Cantina.

There are several other parking lots to the west and south of the stadium, but you can get to El Grito via Portland’s public transportation, including the Max at the Rose Quarter Transit Center, or a handful of bus lines around town. Check the Trimet Transit Tracker to find your line!

Do I need tickets for El Grito Portland?

El Grito is a free event, but bring pocket money to munch on festival fare and to treat yourself with the many artistic vendors selling their wares.

What’s the schedule for El Grito Portland?

You can look at the main stage program here.
Aztec dancers with large feather headdresses and colorful costumes perform at a festival
Aztec dancers perform at El Grito Portland, the largest celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month & Mexico’s Independence Day in the Northwest.

Credit: Lara Media and El Grito Portland

The Artisan Pavilion

Latin America has rich craft traditions, especially in cloth and leather. At El Grito Portland, artisan booths bustle with activity all day long, selling fine art, self-care items, sports jerseys, toys for the kids and much more. This year’s festival highlights 12 Latina-owned businesses, each showcasing their own brand of Latine creativity. Browse everything from handcrafted jewelry to traditional embroidered clothing and take home a piece of Portland’s vibrant Latinx spirit.

Food Stands at El Grito

If you get to El Grito and there is no big line for food, get it while you can. As the night wears on, the lines for food grow longer and longer, some of them stretching all the way back past the Moda Center entrance and down the street. Among the vendors, you’ll find the breakaway star of the festival La Casa de la Mama making vegan conchas and other treats, as well as a fair food stall with corndogs, elephant ears and cotton candy. The other booths run the gamut of Latin American food and drink, including Mexican-style street hot dogs, frutas, quesabirria, papusas and many more.

Music and Community

The main stage has back-to-back acts from across Latin America, but the band I’m really interested in is the Woodburn High School Mariachi band. This 20-year-old institution was the first high school mariachi band in the state of Oregon and is made up of Woodburn students who are interested in Mariachi. They play about 30-40 shows a year and once played for civil rights leader Dolores Huerta. Other performances include folkloric ballet, Aztec danza and myriad other musical artists and bands throughout the two-day festival.

A vaquero does tricks with a lasso while standing on a horse's back
Performers from La Escuela Charra los Mendoza perform with dancing horses at the El Grito festival celebrating Hispanic heritage.

Credit: Lara Media and El Grito Portland

In the services area, Providence and the Multnomah County Health Department will give flu shots, while the Cascade Aids Project offers HIV testing. There’s also blood pressure testing, dental referrals and free take-home COVID tests. Several non-profit and community organizations, including Teatro Milagro and Ballet Papalotl, promote traditional Mexican folk dances, take volunteers, offer assistance and provide information.

Upcoming Dates & Times

Sunday, Sept. 14
1 p.m.–10 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 15
11 a.m.–10 p.m.
Cultural Communities, Festival, History, Music