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Fort Worth is a proud cowboy town, but it's also teeming with Hispanic history and full of great opportunities to speak, hear, and read Spanish. From long-running holiday traditions to iconic Tex-Mex joints, it's easy to supplement your Spanish lessons in Fort Worth with immersive and authentic experiences.

16 de Septiembre Parade

For five decades, Fort Worth has celebrated Mexican Independence Day — and kicked off Hispanic Heritage Month — with a downtown fiesta that gets bigger every year. Other southwestern cities ring in the holiday with parades, but nothing beats the festive spirit that fills Sundance Square every September in Fort Worth. The 16 de Septiembre Parade winds along Main Street, Houston Street, 4th Street, and a few other downtown stretches, filling the city with flags, costumes, floats, horses, banners, and other colorful contributions from local businesses and Hispanic organizations.

Founded by local businessman Richard Salinas, the parade is one of the country's oldest celebrations of Mexican history and heritage. Naturally, it's also a fantastic opportunity for students who already take Spanish lessons in Fort Worth. With a bilingual Grand Marshall, floats blasting Spanish-language music, and Hispanic dancers representing centuries of Mexican traditions, you'll be fully immersed in the community and culture of native Spanish speakers.

Joe T. Garcia's

If you enjoy combinations of southwestern and south-of-the-border flavors, treat yourself to the best Tex-Mex that Fort Worth has to offer. It doesn't get more iconic than Joe T. Garcia's, a sprawling local landmark that's famous for its gorgeous architecture, strong margaritas, and handmade fajitas. The cash-only establishment opened in 1935 and has thrived ever since, with mouth-watering family secrets passed down through generations of owners.

Joe T. Garcia's is divided into several different outdoor and indoor dining areas, and they all replicate Spanish and Mexican building traditions that will make you forget you're in the United States at all. La Casita is distinguished by vine-covered brick walls and elegant dining tables, while Zócalo recreates the festive feel of its namesake — Mexico City's main plaza — with Aztec mosaics and a sunny outdoor bar.

Tina's Cocina

Though the Dallas-Fort Worth area is farther from Mexico than any other major metroplex in Texas, the border feels close enough to taste when you dine at Tina's Cocina. In this intimate, family-owned taqueria on Magnolia Avenue, you order at the counter and wait while Tina gets to work in her kitchen. This isn't Tex-Mex; this is Mexican cuisine, through and through, and the menu is full of familiar and advanced Spanish words.

Made-from-scratch menu items include fish tacos with sweet corn tortillas; barbacoa with authentic yucca and ribs, rather than American-style beef check; shredded carne deshebrada with fresh tomatoes and peppers; and straightforward options such as fajitas, vegetable tacos, carnitas, and other traditional dishes.

Sol de Luna

Last but not least, get a taste of South America right next door to Texas Christian University. At the alumni-owned Sol de Luna, Venezuelan and Mexican cuisine mingle on a fresh and original menu that's dominated by easy-to-eat sandwiches and wraps. Arepas, empanadas, pepitos, and other classic Venezuelan foods are often cooked with Mexican ingredients or techniques, giving you a unique multicultural experience.

Inside, the decor is inspired by Mexico's Day of the Dead celebrations and Venezuela's art deco architecture. If you want to brush up on your Spanish after studying the menu, just hang out here with a cup of fresh coffee. You'll run into college students who are taking Spanish lessons in Fort Worth too, along with Mexican and South American families who want a taste of home — or a fun place to watch the World Cup.

Thanks to all of these fun opportunities to flex your Spanish skills,there are plenty of reasons to be excited to get out on the town after your Spanish lessons in Fort Worth!