The Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce hosted its 14th annual El Grito de Dolores Celebration on Sept. 15 in downtown Bakersfield.
The event, held from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Liberty Bell on Truxtun Avenue, commemorated the historic call for Mexican independence and marked the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month.
The celebration featured live entertainment, including Mariachi San Marcos and Ballet Folklorico Huaztecalli. Attendees also enjoyed a street fair with local vendors and food booths.
Performers from Ballet Folklorico Huaztecalli (right) and Mariachi San Marcos (left) entertain crowds during the 14th annual El Grito de Dolores Celebration in downtown Bakersfield on Sept. 15, 2025. (Haley Duval/Kern Sol News)
Telemundo Valle Central streamed a live broadcast of the festivities to audiences in Mexico.
During the 14th annual El Grito de Dolores Celebration, 31 Kern County students, including graduating seniors and first-year college students, were honored with scholarships. (Haley Duval/Kern Sol News)
The Bakersfield celebration coincided with similar gatherings across the United States and abroad. Many Mexicans and Mexican Americans came together to honor Father Miguel Hidalgo and his 1810 Grito de Dolores, which launched Mexico’s independence from Spain.
Every year, on the night of September 15th the Mexican president leads the Grito of Dolores from the National Palaces balcony ringing the historic bell originally from the Church of Senora de Dolores. The tradition was first introduced in 1896 when Father Hidalgo y Costilla made his official demand to end Spanish rule. Historically, the Cry of Independence has always been led by male presidents, 215 years later President Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s first woman president led the Grito of Dolores on the evening of September 15th.
The president was escorted by women led military honor guards to perform the ritual of El Grito, where she addressed the country with chants that recognised many that are given their recognition.
Shienbaum began one of her first Gritos with “Long live the Independence, Long Live! Long live the anonymous heroines! Long live the heroines and heroes who gave us homeland!
Long live indigenous women! Long live the migrant sisters and brothers!”she chanted.
Amidst the political climate and increase of mass deportations targeting Latinos in the United States, Sheinbaum has outwardly spoken against Trump’s anti-immigration policies and condemned the ongoing ICE raids.
Meanwhile, in California Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 as Latino Heritage Month, the declaration recognized the fundamental impact the Latino community continues to have on the golden state.
“The Latino community is strong and resilient, and their legacy and foundational role in the prosperity of this nation and California will not be extinguished by hate – as a state, we will not allow it” said Newsom. The state has made it abundantly clear that they would not tolerate ICE operations based on racial profiling or warrantless arrests and have filed on multiple occasions lawsuits against the current administration.
