All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
There’s something special about seeing generations of Latino music in the same room. From the norteño songs many of us grew up hearing at home to salsa, Latin alternative and the rap dominating playlists today, the 2026 Hispanic Heritage Awards bring those sounds and stories together for one night.
The 39th annual Hispanic Heritage Awards air Friday, Oct. 2, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on PBS, with Los Tigres del Norte headlining and Mon Laferte, Eladio Carrión and Ximena Sariñana among the night’s performers and honorees. Anjelah Johnson-Reyes hosts the ceremony, which was taped Sept. 10 at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis.
At a Glance: How to Watch the 2026 Hispanic Heritage Awards
How to Watch the Hispanic Heritage Awards Live Online
Don’t have traditional cable? You still have several ways to watch the Hispanic Heritage Awards live from home. DIRECTV and YouTube TV both carry local PBS stations in more than 100 markets, making it an easy option for streaming the ceremony live alongside the television broadcast. Hulu + Live TV also includes local PBS stations in participating markets, so existing subscribers can check their local lineup and tune in from a smart TV, phone, tablet or laptop.
DirecTV
TOP PICK
DIRECTV
DIRECTV is a streaming service that lets you watch live TV channels over the internet without needing a cable box or antenna. Almost all of DIRECTV’s packages include a PBS feed. Even better: DIRECTV offers a five-day free trial that you can use to livestream the Hispanic Heritage Awards online free.
Hulu
50% OFF DEAL
Hulu + Live TV
Watch the Hispanic Heritage Awards live on PBS with Hulu + Live TV, which carries the network in select markets along with 100 other channels. New subscribers can current save 50% off their first month of service, which includes live TV channels, plus Hulu on-demand, Disney+ and ESPN+ bundled into one plan.
YouTube
ALSO CONSIDER
YouTube TV
Catch the Hispanic Heritage Awards live on PBS with YouTube TV, which offers local station feeds in more than 100 markets. Plans typically start with a five-day free trial, followed by a discounted five months for $67.99 and $82.99 per month thereafter.
PBS will also stream the ceremony through PBS.org and the PBS app.
Who’s Performing at the 2026 Hispanic Heritage Awards?
Los Tigres del Norte lead the night as headline performers. The seven-time Grammy winners and previous Hispanic Heritage Awards Legend Award recipients have spent decades telling stories of migration, family, love and working-class life through norteño music, becoming part of the soundtrack for generations of Mexican and Mexican American families.
Venezuelan salsa icon Oscar D’León will receive the Legend Award, honoring a career that has carried the music of his home country around the world. Chilean-Mexican singer-songwriter Mon Laferte receives the Social Justice Award, while Puerto Rican rapper Eladio Carrión will be honored with the Inspira Award. Mexican singer-songwriter and actress Ximena Sariñana receives the Music Award. Laferte, Carrión and Sariñana will also perform during the broadcast.
The People of Minnesota will receive the Humanitarian Award, recognizing their collective strength, compassion and commitment to supporting their communities. This year’s ceremony also marks the first time the Hispanic Heritage Awards have been held outside Washington, D.C.
What Are the Hispanic Heritage Awards?
Established in 1988, the Hispanic Heritage Awards celebrate the contributions and accomplishments of Latino leaders, artists and communities across the U.S. and Latin America. Part of what makes this year’s lineup special is seeing just how much can fit under the umbrella of Latin music, from Los Tigres del Norte’s norteño storytelling and D’León’s salsa legacy to Laferte’s genre-blurring catalog, Carrión’s Latin rap and Sariñana’s Mexican pop.
There isn’t one sound, country or generation that can tell the whole story of Latino culture. For some families, it’s the music their parents or grandparents played at home; for others, it’s the artists they have on repeat today. Here, those histories get to share the same stage.
Since 1988, the Hispanic Heritage Awards have honored generations of cultural icons, including Celia Cruz, Gloria Estefan, Tito Puente, Carlos Santana, Bad Bunny and Karol G. This year’s ceremony continues that history while celebrating just how many sounds, stories and places make up the Latino community.
