The sounds of guitar and accordion from Chicago band Los K-Bros filled Grant Park Saturday afternoon as thousands of revelers jumped on inflatable castles, browsed stores and sampled quesadillas and elotes to celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day at the “El Grito” festival downtown.
“We came to celebrate our ethnicity,” said Liz Castelan, a 37-year-old resident of the Austin neighborhood. “We are proud of our culture and our freedom.”
Castelan said her 4-year-old son had recently become interested in Mexican heritage and the festival seemed like a perfect opportunity for him to learn more while enjoying great music and tacos. Her 2-year-old daughter and 2-month-old son also came along.
Billed as a family-friendly event, El Grito Chicago marks the first September 16 celebration in the city’s downtown area in a decade, honoring “Mexican history, culture and gastronomy,” according to its website. El Grito, or “the cry of independence,” marks the beginning of Mexico’s fight for independence from Spain.
City officials and Mexican leaders also organized the two-day festival, Saturday and Sunday, in part to help deter caravans of cars that dominated the streets in recent years, leading to concerns about security, traffic jams and arrests.
“We contribute to this country, to this city, in an incredible way economically, socially, politically and culturally. We pay thousands and thousands of dollars in taxes in the city,” said Jaime di Paulo, president and CEO of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. told the Tribune“Our community deserves the space and time to be celebrated downtown.”
Friends Fabian Godina and Areli Salazar, both 22, made the two-hour drive from downstate Normal to attend the festival after seeing an ad on TikTok. The bands, dancing and delicious food made the trip worth it, they said.
“We (Mexicans) work really hard for everything we do in life,” Godina said. “It’s fun to celebrate that and show who we are.”
“The way everyone comes together and parties,” Salazar added. “We’ve never seen Mexican food… Where we live in Normal, we don’t have that kind of stuff. We have to come here for everything, but we really like it.”
The Mexican flag was displayed on the fence surrounding the main stage, while many attendees wrapped themselves in the flag or dressed in green, white and red. Outside the park, vehicles flew the flag through the streets.
Organizers expect 10,000 people a day to attend the festival, which also includes art activities, such as paper flowers and ceramic painting, from the National Museum of Mexican Art, soccer lessons for Chicago Fire kids and performances by Ballet Folklórico de Chicago, the largest Mexican folk dance group in the Midwest.
On Sunday, the Mexican consul general will host a free official commemoration of El Grito at the Petrillo Bandshell in Grant Park. Tickets range from $10 to $175 per person.
Michelle Munoz, 30, said she used to celebrate the festival downtown, joining the thousands of people who paraded through the streets waving flags and shouting “Viva México.” When she heard about the festival, she said she was thrilled and immediately bought a ticket.
“It’s a pretty smart move. They get money out of it and it brings people together,” she said. “Everyone is already here and I’ve seen all the cultures here. It’s really nice.”
rjohnson@chicagotribune.com
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