Final preparations underway for Mexican Independence Day festivities in Chicago
Final preparations are in full swing ahead of a busy stretch of days that will mark Mexican Independence Day throughout Chicago.
Crews have been at work for days at Grant Park, preparing for the return of El Grito Chicago. It's one of many celebrations for Mexican Independence Day happening over the next week throughout the city.
The event was canceled last year due to security concerns stemming from federal immigration enforcement operations in Chicago.
This year it's back on Saturday and Sunday at Butler Field in Grant Park.
The city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications and the Chicago Police Department have been monitoring the downtown area for expected car caravans celebrating Mexican Independence Day.
OEMC said, if car access is limited to downtown due to caravans, the following locations will serve as access points:
- Halsted/Washington
- Halsted/Madison
- Halsted/Jackson
- Division/LaSalle
- Roosevelt/Canal
- Taylor/Desplaines
- 18th/State
- 18th/Indiana
In the Pilsen community, organizers of the neighborhood's own El Grito celebration at St. Paul's Church on Sept. 15 said community members and businesses look forward to marking the spirit of the holiday a year after Operation Midway Blitz.
"It's not just another celebration of independence. It's a celebration of the people who continue that legacy through their work," said Javier Yanez, executive director of the Pilsen Chamber of Commerce.
In the Little Village neighborhood, Carnitas Uruapan restaurant owner Marcos Carbajal said he is looking forward to the Mexican Independence Day Parade on 26th Street on Sunday, marking the occasion with a mural unveiling before the parade and an after party.
Carbajal said the mural depicts an icon from Michoacán, Mexico "and has taken on a meaning of resistance against outside forces and resilience through tough times."
The event provides a major economic boost for businesses Carbajal said are still recovering from disruption last year.
"We've got hundreds of thousands of visitors, and we're really hoping that all the preparation is going to pay off, this is going to go off smoothly as it did last year, and we're just going to celebrate our culture, our heritage," he said.
For both the events and the expected car caravans, OEMC encourages people to use public transportation and sign up for NotifyChicago text alerts for changing conditions at NotifyChicago.org.
