Participants march in the 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade on Sept. 13, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For Boyle Heights Beat)
Cesar E. Chavez came alive this weekend with colorful floats, charros on horseback and folklórico dancers at the 80th East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade.
The event kicked off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and dove release, followed by a parade and festival that drew crowds to the avenue.
Families lined the streets, waving Mexican flags and cheering on high school cheer teams and marching bands. Many stoped to take photos with familiar faces, including Dr. Simi, the mascot from Farmacias Similares, Big Boy from radio station Real 92.3, and yes, a jumping lizard.
The event also drew people protesting the Lineage warehouse, who shouted, “HILDA, ESCUCHA, ESTAMOS EN LA LUCHA,” as LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis passed by.
This year’s co-grand marshals were singer and actor Dasahev López Saavedra, better known as El Dasa, and Solis.
Here’s what we saw.
Folklórico dancers at the 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade on Sept. 13, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For Boyle Heights Beat)Charros ride in the 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade on Sept. 13, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For Boyle Heights Beat)Flag guards march in 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade on Sept. 13, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For Boyle Heights Beat)The 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade on Sept. 13, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For Boyle Heights Beat)Folklórico dancers in the 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade on Sept. 13, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For Boyle Heights Beat)People hold signs protesting the Lineage warehouse at the 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade on Sept. 13, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For Boyle Heights Beat)A woman performs a ritual as she makes her way down Cesar E. Chavez Avenue the 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade on Sept. 13, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For Boyle Heights Beat)Angelenos enjoy the 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade on Sept. 13, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For Boyle Heights Beat)Bolivian dancers march in the 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade on Sept. 13, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For Boyle Heights Beat)Attendees of the 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade dress in pachuco attire on Sept. 13, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For Boyle Heights Beat)Luchadoers from East Los Luncha at the 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade and Festival on Sept. 13, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For Boyle Heights Beat)Dr. Simi joins the 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade on Sept. 13, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For Boyle Heights Beat)Aztec dancers march in the 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade on Sept. 13, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For Boyle Heights Beat)The 80th Annual East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade on Sept. 13, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For Boyle Heights Beat)
Semantha Raquel Norris is a Salvadoran American journalist and documentary photographer from Los Angeles. She has a master’s degree in journalism from UC Berkeley and her work has been featured in CalMatters, The New York Times, the Oaklanside, the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol and more.
