El Grito Chicago provides connection to cultural roots: ‘I feel like I’m home’

On Saturday afternoon, El Grito Chicago brought vibrant sights and sounds to Butler Field in Grant Park.

There were the bright harmonies and thumping sousaphone of regional Mexican band El Ejercito Sierreño M.G.

There was the smell of tacos, quesadillas, street corn and funnel cakes from local vendors.

And there were plenty of eye-catching designs, from the merchandise in the Mexican Mercadito to the Mexican flags worn by fans proud of their heritage.

“Just seeing the culture and the representation, it gives me chills,” said Savannah Mireles, 20, of Palos Hills. “I feel like I’m home.”

Expected to draw about 24,000 attendees this weekend, El Grito Chicago marks the first sanctioned Mexican Independence Day celebration downtown in more than a decade. It is organized by the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago, Grito 916 and Choose Chicago, in conjunction with the city and state.

The fest continues Sunday, the official Mexican Independence Day, with a civic ceremony and more entertainment from 2 to 10 p.m. Sunday also marks the start of Hispanic Heritage Month.

More than just a two-day party in the park, the festival provides Mexican Americans with a meaningful bridge to their cultural roots.

“We’re away from this country that some of us were born in or call home, or just have a really fond appreciation for,” said organizer Korina Sanchez, who works with the nonprofit Grito 916. “So, it’s a way for us to feel connected again to that.”

Ulysses Perez said he noticed more people publicly expressing their cultural pride than when he was younger.

“People aren’t just hiding in a corner feeling like, ‘I don’t want to tell people that I’m Hispanic,’” said Perez, 25, who lives on the North Side. “Now, people are excited to promote themselves, like, ‘Hey this is my culture, this is where I come from, this is where my ancestors come from.’”

Wearing a Mexican flag around his shoulders, Perez said he wasn’t looking forward to a particular part of the festival, but “just vibes.”

“Enjoying people, enjoying the food, seeing everyone dance,” he explained.

Some of the standouts among beverages included piña coladas in pineapples and micheladas topped with gummy bears. Some of the more memorable dishes were served by J’s Bacon Hot Dogs, owned by Omar Corral.

Corral recommends ordering the bacon-wrapped hot dog — popular in Mexico and California — with grilled onions, jalapeño, pico de gallo, mustard, mayo, specialty habanero sauce and ketchup.

“I know in Chicago you don’t add ketchup, but we add ketchup to our bacon-wrapped hot dogs,” he said.

The fest also includes a full lineup of bands, including popular headliner Banda Los Sebastianes and a Selena tribute show. And there are plenty of youth activities, including a Chicago Fire Soccer activation, as well as a carnival area. At a workshop on Sunday, attendees can learn to make alebrijes, or Mexican folk art sculptures, which are also on display around the fest.

On Saturday, the National Museum of Mexican Art taught visitors how to decorate miniature church bells in honor of Roman Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, who rang his church bell and gave a speech that marked the start of the Mexican War of Independence from Spain in 1810. (El Grito or “El Grito de Independencia,” translates to “The Cry of Independence.”)

The museum’s gallery education coordinator, Mario Hernandez, said El Grito Chicago provided an opportunity to talk about the large Mexican population in Chicago and its cultural influence on the city.

The fest also drew out-of-towners like Manuel Contreras, 27, who drove from Minnesota to experience the fun.

“We do something like this in Minnesota, but not as big,” he said. “So, it’s really exciting to see.”

Even some Chicagoans, like Mireles, said they don’t see enough representation in their neighborhoods.

“I just feel like it’s good to get our story out there,” she said. “Lately, in 2024, a lot of people bash you for who you are, and I feel like this is showing others: This is who we are. Try our food, listen to our language. You’ll like this. We’re all human.”