Thousands of people lined the streets of downtown Waukegan Sunday for a celebration of Mexico at the city’s annual Fiestas Patrias parade and festival.
Organizers estimated 10,000 people might show up based on past attendance, and with the perfect sunny day as a backdrop, it looked Sunday afternoon as if that estimate may have been reached.
Gabby Lopez, a Waukegan native who moved to Kenosha recently, said she was struck by the number of people at the event.
“We couldn’t even find any place to park,” said Lopez, who attended the parade and the festival with relatives.
Translated to English, “fiestas patrias” means patriotic holidays. Lopez said she believes the event, described locally as an Independence Day celebration for Mexico and other countries such as Belize and Honduras, is especially important for the children. Lopez was happy that her 11-year-old niece Ariana Nobles-Guzman was so enthusiastic about going.
“She started calling me at 10:30 this morning asking, ‘Are you ready?’ It’s good for her to see her culture,” Lopez said. “That way, growing up, she will continue coming here and bring her own kids.”
Ariana said she saw a picture of the event online and told her family she wanted to go.
“I wanted to come here because my family is Mexican,” she said.
Rosemary Solis, of Waukegan, said she wanted to expose her children to the cultural aspects of the event as she watched the colorful parade come down Washington Street with her three children, including Yadira Solis, 10.
“We’re celebrating our country and cheering,” Yadira said. “We’ll probably stay for the whole day.”
“It’s just become an event we all celebrate,” said chief organizer Porfirio Garcia, who led the parade on Washington Street from Butrick Street to Sheridan Road, where the festival was held afterward. “I’m proud of the families and kids who come out to celebrate their culture.”
Waukegan spokesman David Motley said it’s not just one segment of the community that comes out for the event.
“One of the things Waukegan residents can do is have fun together. It’s not just one culture; we celebrate cultural differences,” Motley said.
“There’s a prime example,” he said, as he pointed to marchers in the parade carrying American and Mexican flags side by side.
As the parade was winding down, the festival was heating up. Kids played in bounce houses as the air filled with the smells of outdoor cooking, and adults sat under tents and sampled a variety of cuisine from Mexico, Honduras and other countries.
Participating for the first year was La Luz del Mundo Church of Waukegan, which served up food booth specialties, including pupusas, a Central American dish that volunteer Flory Cruz described as tortillas stuffed with a variety of fillings.
“Authentic Mexican and Honduran food, we do both,” Cruz said. “We’re celebrating the independence of Mexico and Honduras. Half of our church is Mexican and half is Honduran.”
Cruz said her two children were enjoying the event.
“It’s important that they can learn about their culture when they are young,” she said.
Mayor Wayne Motley said he fulfilled a longtime wish by riding a horse in the parade, although he is more at home on a Harley-Davidson.
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“This brings our community together,” the mayor said. “We renew friendships and enjoy the independence of our countries.”
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