Upcoming dates
Every September, the lawn below Payson's old Peteetneet school becomes a nine-hour stage for the music and dance of Latin America. Festival Latino de Payson is free, runs from noon to 9 p.m., and is built almost entirely from local talent: musicians and dance groups from many Latin American countries who live in south Utah County. In 2026 it fell on September 19, and Payson City planned for more than 1,500 people.
This guide covers who started it, what you will see, the historic building it happens beside, and what to expect in 2027.
The basics
- When: a Saturday in September, noon to 9 p.m. The 2026 festival was September 19. The 2025 festival was September 20 and the 2024 festival was September 21, so the third Saturday of September has been the pattern.
- Where: the Peteetneet Museum amphitheater, 10 North 600 East, Payson. Some listings print the address as 10 South 600 East; the amphitheater is on the museum grounds at the east end of Utah Avenue.
- Cost: free, except for food and merchandise from vendors.
- Who runs it: Ruben Jimenez and his family, with Payson City.
How it started
Payson's festival began with a local family, not a city committee. Ruben Jimenez brought the idea to Payson City, found early support from Mayor Bill Wright and the city's recreation department, and still organizes the event each year with his family and the city. Payson's community and cultural events coordinator has credited the Jimenez family with bringing the event to town, and it has become a yearly tradition.
The goal, in the city's words, is to reach people across the cities of south Utah County. That is a useful thing to know if you live in Provo or Orem. This is a south-county festival first, and the crowd reflects it.
What you will see and hear
The program runs through the afternoon and into the evening, with local musicians and dance groups taking turns on the amphitheater stage. The performers represent many Latin American countries. The 2024 festival, for example, featured artists, musicians and dancers from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Mexico and Chile.
Food is the other half of the day. Vendors sell dishes from local Latino residents, and merchandise vendors set up alongside them. Admission is free, so the only money you spend is at the food and merchandise tables.
Nine hours is a long window. Most people pick part of it: a late lunch and the afternoon sets, or dinner and the evening, when the heat has gone out of the day.
The setting: the Peteetneet
The amphitheater sits beside one of the most striking buildings in Utah County. The Peteetneet School was dedicated as a public school in 1901 and served Payson's children until 1988. Its architect, Richard C. Watkins, also designed the Maeser School in Provo, but the Peteetneet, with its Victorian bell tower on a bluff above the town, is the showier of the two.
The school is named for Peteetneet, the chief of the Tumpanawach, or Timpanogos, Ute band that lived on this site before settlement, and a statue of him stands in front of the building. Payson itself was first called Peteetneet. The settlers who arrived in October 1850 used the name for their fort, and the town became Payson when it incorporated in 1853.
When the school closed, Payson planned to demolish it. A group of residents calling themselves People Preserving Peteetneet stopped the demolition, and the building was restored as a museum and community center. Today it houses a Daughters of Utah Pioneers museum, the Payson Historical Society and the Peteetneet Arts Council, with works by the sculptor Avard Fairbanks on display. Check the museum's hours before festival day if you want to go inside.
Going: parking, timing and what to bring
- Head for the east end of Utah Avenue. The museum sits on the hill at the end of the street, and the amphitheater is on its grounds.
- Bring a chair or a blanket in case the seating fills.
- Carry cash and a card for food vendors.
- Pick a window. The festival runs noon to 9 p.m., and there is no need to stay for all of it.
The same Saturday elsewhere
In 2026 the festival shared its date with the Native Nations Festival at University Place in Orem, which ran from 3 to 6 p.m., about half an hour's drive north. With Payson running until 9 p.m., it is possible to do both: Orem in the afternoon and Payson for the evening.
The festival also falls inside National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15. Provo has its own celebration, the Festival Latinoamericano.
Payson beyond the festival
If you are driving down from the north end of the valley, there is more to do in Payson. The Peteetneet hosts events through the fall, including a quilt show and a big band concert in late October and the Santa Dash after Thanksgiving. The town's biggest weekend is Golden Onion Days over Labor Day, and the Nebo Loop climbs out of Payson Canyon toward some of the best fall color in the county.
2027
Payson has not announced the 2027 date. The last three festivals fell on the third Saturday of September, so plan on a similar weekend and watch the Payson City events page. We will update this page when the date is posted.
Related Guides
- Things to do in Payson
- Payson Golden Onion Days
- The Native Nations Festival at University Place
- Provo's Festival Latinoamericano
- Payson Lakes and Payson Canyon
- Festivals across Utah Valley
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Festival Latino de Payson?
Is it free?
Where is it held?
What happens at the festival?
Who organizes it?
How many people go?
What is the Peteetneet?
Can I combine it with the Native Nations Festival in Orem?
