RedaccionThe fifth edition of the great Spanish culture festival will be held from October 3 to 12 with over 150 activities spread across various points of the capital, featuring Argentina as the guest country. Additionally, there will be a new main stage located in Plaza de Colón, hosting a free concert by international artist Gloria Estefan on October 5 at noon, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of her career.
The Cuban singer and songwriter, winner of nine GRAMMY awards and with over 100 million records sold, will deliver a historic performance featuring her greatest hits like «Mi tierra» and «Hoy.» Estefan will also be responsible for delivering the opening speech on October 3, kicking off this cultural event that has established itself as a global reference and will once again be held under the theme «Todos los acentos caben en Madrid.» This year, the event will also have the support of Repsol.
The presentation of the festival’s program included performances by singer India Martínez, who paid tribute to Gloria Estefan by covering her song «Hoy,» and the Contrabando orchestra, which performed three pieces of salsa, merengue, and bachata.
Díaz Ayuso stated that the Hispanic Heritage festival in Madrid has become one of the major cultural events of the year on both sides of the Atlantic, celebrating «our endearing brotherhood, our amazing history, our thriving and vibrant present, and our future of joint ventures.»
United States in the Grand Parade
In addition, Hispanic Heritage 2025 will feature two other significant milestones. The first will coincide with the Grand Parade, which will once again march along Gran Vía on October 5, with the participation of the United States alongside other Hispanic American nationalities, filling this iconic street with music and folklore. This will also be broadcast for the first time by the American network Univision.
This announcement aligns with the statement made by President Isabel Díaz Ayuso during her official visit to Miami and New York, where the United States will be the guest of honor at the 2026 VI edition of this event.
Among the 150 scheduled activities, highlights include concerts by renowned artists such as Cuban musician Eliades Ochoa, star of the legendary Buena Vista Social Club, Dominican artist Henry Méndez, Argentine band Babasónicos, Colombian group Bomba Estéreo, Spanish singer María José Llergo, and the duo Mocedades and Los Panchos.
Once again, flamenco, declared a Cultural Heritage of Interest by the Community of Madrid, will have a special role in this multicultural gathering with a performance by Corral de la Morería, an international symbol of this art form, returning to Plaza Mayor after filling it in the 2023 and 2024 editions.
Recognized Hispanic American groups and soloists
The celebration will spread across various city locations such as Plaza de España, Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Puente del Rey, and Plaza de Colón, which joins as a space for Hispanic Heritage in place of Puerta de Alcalá.
Aleesha, Bareto, Bon Calso, Çantamarta, Dillom, La Ganga Calé, El Twanguero, Gerardo Morán, Henry Méndez, Karina La Princesita, Kevin Johansen + Liniers + The Nada, Los Estanques & El Canijo de Jerez, Maestro Espada, Miranda!, Muerdo, Nidia Góngora, ORCAM, Orquesta Aragón, Rita Payés, Silvana Estrada, and Tiraya are some of the names that will bring rhythm to this Hispanic celebration.
Alongside music, there will also be folklore, gastronomy, literature, and cinema, with a film series based on the novels of Mario Vargas Llosa in tribute to the late Peruvian Nobel laureate who passed away in April. Díaz Ayuso emphasized that, for the first time since the start of this multicultural Spanish event, Mario Vargas Llosa is no longer with us, but his books will remain, as he was a great writer with enthusiastic readers worldwide.
Furthermore, on September 21, as a kickoff to this edition, the Madrid Corre por Madrid race, Hispanic Heritage edition, will take place, celebrating sports and donating one euro from each bib to the Victims of Terrorism Association.
In 2024, Hispanic Heritage broke attendance records, gathering over 630,000 people, surpassing the previous year’s figures by 12%. This event continues to establish itself as a major gathering of Spanish culture, showcasing Ibero-American traditions and folklore worldwide.
