Carpentersville will be celebrating Mexican Independence Day Saturday with food, music and a rousing parade featuring dazzling equestrian stars.
Founded in 2018 and formerly known as Fiestapalooza, El Grito set for 1 to 10 p.m. Sept. 13 at Carpenter Park. Despite the name change, Village Manager Brad Stewart, the formula remains unchanged: parade, bands, food and family.
The parade starts at 11 a.m. at Meadowdale Mall and ends at Carpenter Park, followed by the music festival at 1 p.m.
There are two components to the parade, Stewart said. It will have all of the traditional trappings, including floats, community groups, teams, clubs, businesses and politicians, but the unique aspect will be the cavalry of horses and riders, he said.
“Some of the horses can dance and they will dance to the music that’s being played for them,” he said.
Once the parade ends, the horses will be set up at the south end of Carpenter Park, just outside the festival area, said Jen Hyde, marketing and events coordinator.
“There’s a special staging area for people to head down and see these horses,” she said. “They’re so unique. They dance in cadence to the music being played, kind of intuitively. I think people of all ages will be interested in them, but especially the kids.”
Stewart said the horse owners and riders add a special attraction you won’t find at other events.
“The people who ride in the parade take an enormous amount of pride in being able to display their horses,” he said. “And the horses tend to be very well-trained and disciplined. They can dance better than I can too.”
Food and beverage vendors will be ready for business by 1 p.m., which is also when the live music should start.
“Certainly there will be a wide variety of Mexican fare. There will be no shortage of Mexican food,” he said. “We are also trying to make sure there are some alternative food choices … there will be more traditional American fare as well.
Greta Salamando, business and community engagement coordinator, said, “We’ve got vendors that will be serving quesadillas, burgers, pizza and then a whole range of tacos, burritos, corn — all different things.” aid
Beverages will include iced coffee, boba tea, margaritas or micheladas, and for dessert, there will be churros, Mexican doughnuts and ice cream, Stewart said.
More Top Picks Best Noise Canceling Headphones For Sensory Overload
Among the participating restaurants and food vendors are Don Rafa Restaurant, Dulce Tentaciones Mexicanas, Arrachera Mexican Grill, Sticky Fingers Kitchen, No Manches Mexican Grill, Juanita’s Antojitos, Churros y Chocolate, La Ilusion Restaurant and Bar, La Chilanguita Restaurant and Ricoloco.
Bands include Mariachi Universal, La Migra, Banda ArreñA, Grupo Perverso, Los del Sol and Lily Mendoza. Audiences will hear traditional mariachi along with up tempo Banda and Norteno.
El Grito marks the observance of Mexican Independence Day. Literally translated, it means “the cry” or “the scream,” Stewart said. “It had to do with the cry for independence,” he said.
Hyde said, “We have a lot of traditional activities that fall under the El Grito tradition. We will also have some dancers in their beautiful, traditional dresswear performing as well between the bands.”
There will be games and other activities for children as well.
Stewart said the village was approached in 2018 by a group of volunteers who thought it would be a compelling event to host for the Hispanic community, Stewart said. Other than taking a few years off during the the pandemic, the event has grown.
“It has been very well-attended and well-received,” he said. “It’s multicultural, it’s not an exclusive audience. I think that’s an important signal of the one-ness of our community and being able to recognize a tradition that’s important to some members of the community that we can all participate in.”
Annie Alleman is a freelance reporter for the Courier-News.
El Grito
When: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sept. 13
Where: Carpenter Park, 275 Maple Ave., Carpentersville
Admission: Free
Information: 847-426-3439; cville.org/606/El-Grito