Miami Beach lines up six free Hispanic Heritage Month events

Miami Beach will host six free Hispanic Heritage Month events between Sept. 17 and Oct. 11, spanning dance, outdoor cinema, live music and a salsa festival.

The lineup, announced by the city on Sept. 1, stretches across neighborhoods. All events are free and open to the public.

"Our Hispanic community enriches every part of our city, from culture and music to entrepreneurship, public service and family life," Mayor Steven Meiner said in the announcement.

Series Opens With Peruvian Dance and Andean Music

The series opens Thursday, Sept. 17, at Normandy Fountain Plaza, 7802 Rue Vendome, with ¡Baila! Miami Beach from 7 to 9 p.m. The evening features traditional Peruvian dance by Sumaj Tusuy, live Andean music by Los Hermanos Sulca, beats by Rum and Coke featuring DJ Kumi and a textile-weaving workshop led by artist Lucia Morales.

Parks Department's Annual Festival Follows the Next Night

The next night, Friday, Sept. 18, Miami Beach Parks and Recreation hosts its annual Hispanic Heritage Festival at North Shore Park Youth Center, 501 72nd St., from 6 to 9 p.m. The festival includes cultural performances by the city's after-school participants, rides, food vendors and music. Families who preregister through the Miami Beach Parks website get a free unlimited ride and bouncer wristband.

Library Offers Story Time and a Mexican Craft Workshop

On Saturday, Sept. 26, Miami Beach Regional Library, 227 22nd St., offers two family events from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Children can watch Story Troupe performer Marci Poppins in the Children's Story Room or take home a Mexican Alebrije mask-decorating kit, recommended for ages 4 to 12.

Outdoor Screening of "Selena" Marks Series' 17th Season

The SoundScape Cinema Series screens "Selena" on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 8 p.m. at SoundScape Park, 500 17th St. The 1997 biopic, directed by Gregory Nava and starring Jennifer Lopez, was inducted into the Library of Congress National Film Registry. The city calls it the series' 17th season, projected on the venue's 7,000-square-foot outdoor wall. Attendees should bring blankets or lawn chairs.

Grammy-Nominated Spam Allstars Headline Beachfront Concert

Live En La Playa returns for a second year on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 6 to 10 p.m. at Sixth Street and Ocean Drive in Lummus Park. Headlining is Spam Allstars, a Miami-based band whose blend of Latin, funk and electronic music earned a Latin Grammy nomination for their album "Fuacata Live." Afro-Caribbean jazz group Tony & The Kings also performs, alongside an outdoor vinyl record fair featuring music from across Latin America.

Puerto Rican Salsa Singer Closes Out the Month

The month wraps up Sunday, Oct. 11, with Miami Beach Salsa Fest at the Miami Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Ave., starting at 5 p.m. Melina Almodóvar, the Puerto Rican salsa singer who received a Key to the City of Miami Beach in 2014, hosts and produces the event. The program includes a seniors salsa dance contest, free salsa lessons for all ages and a concert by Almodóvar and her orchestra. An opening act has not yet been announced.