By Franciso Peralta

On Saturday, September 15th, in honor of Mexico’s Independence Day, four different musical groups performed free Mexican, cultural theme concerts in Downtown Chicago’s Millennium Park for people to congregate and observe. These groups ranged from adolescent performers from different high schools around the city to professional performers such as a Latin Grammy-nominated Mariachi band that originated from Chicago, Herencia de México, and the musical group Chéjere, who would not only lead the attending community in music, but also dance performances through combinations of cultural and current musical infusions.

This event has been titled “El Grito” or “The Yell” when translated into English as an allusion to the famous yell for independence, or El Grito de Dolores, made by Father Miguel Hidalgo, that helped spark the fight for Mexico’s independence on a September 16th morning in 1810.

This musical event is part of an even bigger city-wide event that ranges from September 7th to the 23rd across different musical venues in the city of Chicago as part of their 20th World Music Festival, aiming to celebrate diverse musical performances from across the world. These are free festivals that are prepared by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) and is one of the largest musical events across the U.S.

Chicago’s World Music Festival is sponsored by Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), The Chicago Tribune, and Millennium Garages. This event also aims to bring different cultures and communities together to promote the inclusiveness and singularity that the City of Chicago wishes to promote amongst those who reside within it. If interested in seeing this free festival for yourself, be on the lookout for the 2019 roster next year.