As the parade neared its conclusion, a procession of lowriders and other vehicles played songs from their radios and drove slowly down the road. Their audience includes crowds of smiling sidewalk viewers who wave their flowing green, white and red Mexican flags in the breeze.
Eliana Martinez and her family members have registered their lowriders as a part of the annual Pilsen Mexican Independence Day Parade for more years than she can remember.
“We do it every year,” Martinez said while standing next to her daughter, Isabelle Martinez. “It brings the community together and it’s exciting to celebrate our heritage every year.”
Isabelle Martinez shares similar feelings, who has been a part of the show since her childhood. “I’m excited to see everybody and everybody coming out for the community. It’s exciting to see the performers and the happy kids,” she said.
The 23rd annual Pilsen Mexican Independence Day Parade, which began at 12 p.m. on S. Newberry Ave., showcased a colorful celebration of Mexican culture and heritage. This parade, held on Saturday, Sept. 7, is one of many events that celebrate Mexican Independence Day in Chicago.
Mexican Independence Day, or “Día de la Independencia,” observed on Sept. 16, commemorates the start of the Mexican War of Independence from Spanish colonial rule in 1810, which continued until 1821. The day is celebrated with parades, community gatherings and festivities featuring traditional Mexican food, music and dance.
This historical event holds particular significance in Chicago, where approximately 77% of Hispanics in the area identify as Mexican, according to a Pew Research Center study.
Reflecting on the local significance of Mexican Independence Day in Pilsen, Rodolfo Alvarez, president of Chamber of Commerce within the United Merchants of Pilsen, or “Comerciantes Unidos de Pilsen,” looked forward to organizing the event, year after year. The parade spans nearly a mile long stretch of 18th St. in the Pilsen neighborhood.
“Our parade is not the biggest in Chicago but in the last 23 years it has been meaningful and peaceful. We have no altercations, we have no disorders,” Alvarez said. “We are what makes this little parade on 18th Street unique.”
Originally from San Luis Potosí, Mexico, Alvarez has lived 60 years in Chicago, 23 of which have been following in the footsteps of main parade organizer, Rigoberto Gonzalez. Alvarez said Gonzalez was unable to attend this year’s parade due to medical complications.
Alvarez and other members within the Chamber of Commerce have helped organize and are members of the parade, which included a total of 25 organizations and businesses, he said. This year’s parade had lower participation due to City Hall moving the date of the parade with short notice, Alvarez said.
Despite this, many gathered at the edge of sidewalks to watch and record the parade on their phones. The parade procession began with a green, white and red patterned float with a border that read “¡Viva México!” across it from The Federation of Michoacán Clubs in Illinois (FEDECMI), a cultural and educational center.
After the float followed the tunes of live trumpet, trombone, clarinet and drums played by a marching Banda Carnavalito, a Spanish music band. The music continued behind the band, as numerous gray and blue uniformed students from the Madero Middle School marching band played their instruments down 18th St.
Throughout the parade, various organizations walk while handing out cards, flyers, pens and other items to nearby members of the public.
In a group of blue Progressive shirts, Edgar Adeliso, hands out toys and candy alongside his fellow representatives. From Evanston, Illinois, Adeliso said presence and support matter to his involvement with the community, especially as a Mexican.
Adeliso looks forward to the crowd interactions, as his team has been involved with the parade for ten years.
“It’s on the smaller side but it’s nice because it allows you to interact with a lot more people,” Adeliso said. “We can get close to the folks here and shake their hands.”
A block down stands a Valor float with traditional Mexican colors and “papel picado,” a decorative paper.
Julianna Alejandra, of Skokie, Illinois, is a volunteer with Valor, an early childhood and family program, and enjoys being active in the community. “[The parade] brings us together and shows the community how united we are when we support each other,” Alejandra said.
Twisting their folklórico dresses to the left and the right, dancers representing “Sociedad Cívica Mexicana de Illinois,” or Mexican Civic Society of Illinois, move their way down between W. 18th St. and S. Allport St. The non-profit organization aims to promote civic and cultural events throughout Illinois.
Isabel Garcia’s gold necklaces bounce against her pink dress which is outlined with roses and green leaves. Next to her, turns Rosa Rios’ black dress, stitched with multicolored roses ranging from yellow, orange, purple and blue hues.
Garcia said her group loves to dance at any event they are invited to and continue dancing traditions. “We are responsible for passing down the traditions of our Mexican culture,” Garcia said. “These traditions make us beautiful.”
Rosa Rios added that she felt very happy to represent her country, Mexico, in such a public way. “I hope everyone enjoys our dancing,” Rios said. “And I hope the children watching us learn how to dance this way too, viva México!”
Watching the dancers and floats pass by, Vanessa Garcia stands watching the parade with a handful of flyers tucked under her shoulder. Garcia is at the parade to promote her friend’s local art show and also enjoy the sights.
“All the dances are so beautiful and I recognize them specifically to dancers that originate from Michoacan, which is where my family is from,” the Pilsen resident said. “It’s just nice to see that being celebrated here.”
A few people away, Eduardo Avila stands in front of a blue wooden road blocker with a Mexican flag blowing in the wind. Avila said his flag, which is about twice his height, means more than just fabric to him.
“Showing this flag represents something to me. It’s here for my parent’s nationality, it’s how we stand where we are, our support towards the community,” the Pilsen resident said.
As the parade continued to make it past buildings, various members of the crowd wave their Mexican flags and sing along to the songs. Even customers at Cafe Jumping Bean, a local coffee shop, sit in front of the window staring at the parade.
Towards the end of the parade procession, various lowriders and other vehicles play songs from their radios and drive slowly down the road.
As the series of lowriders, ranging from black to red with various unique details, make their way down 18th St., many Pilsen residents stop and watch. Among viewers are Jose Manuel Lazaro Guerrero and Christy Guzara, who each say they came out to see the lowriders in action.
“There’s two that are especially cool. The pink one is hopping up and down,” Guzara said. “And there’s a little classy red one that’s doing a little one-tire shoulder bows.”
Some cars away, Marisol Alvarez sits on the back of her brother’s blue Nissan Titan Truck, throwing out candy that sends children running to the street to catch. Alvarez has lived in Pilsen for 52 years and enjoys catching up with familiar faces.
“It’s always nice to see the people that have left due to gentrification,” she said. “They still come back for the parade because they know where they are from.”
Alvarez wears a traditional Mexican dress with floral embroidery along the chest and a headpiece filled with flowers. When throwing candy to the children, she is reminded of why it is important to continue traditions like this parade.
“Our ancestors are from Mexico and it’s within their blood. It’s like you try within this current time to still show them what they carry,” she said. “To not forget where their parents and grandparents come from because we all have that within our blood.”
Sitting on the sidewalk in front of the colorful LGBTQ+ “Fierce” mural by Sam Kirk on the corner of 18th St. and Ashland Ave., Yanely Castellanos waits as the parade approaches. Castellanos, a junior film and television major at Columbia, heard about the parade through a friend and attended with friends.
They enjoyed speaking with other audience members. “They had so much gratitude for their neighborhood,” the Chicago resident said. “No place is perfect but the locals take pride in Pilsen. They take pride in preserving their culture and I cherish that.”
Copy edited by Doreen Abril Albuerne-Rodriguez
