Renowned Mexican folk ensemble to perform free in Elgin

Wing Park will be bursting with Mexican culture Saturday as the Gran Kermés “fair” brings music, dancing and food to the Elgin venue.

Members of the Elgin Mexican heritage organization OME teamed up with the Elgin Area District U-46 Bilingual Parents Advisory Council to create a festival out of a performance by a nationally renowned folk music ensemble.

Sones de México, a Chicago-based musical group, chose Elgin as one of its suburban concert locations after Comcast agreed to fund the Viva Mexico! 2011 series. The group also will perform in several other Chicago suburbs throughout the summer and fall. Visit sonesdemexico.com to find out dates and locations for their future concerts.

Ballet Folklórico Girasol, a group of U-46 student folk dancers, also will perform during the Gran Kermés, which lasts from 4 to 8 p.m. in Wing Park, 100 Wing St., Elgin.

Adriana Carpio, president of BPAC and a member of OME, said the event is free and open to the entire community — those who claim Latino heritage and those who don’t.

“We’re holding this event precisely so others can learn about our culture,” Carpio said.

OME’s mission is to preserve the Mexican heritage in Elgin, help immigrants adapt to the new culture and encourage education.

Carpio said the group is excited to host an event around the Sones de Mexico concert and make it into a full-fledged festival. There will be food and refreshments for sale and performances in the Wing Park band shell.

Sones de Mexico specializes in “son,” a term that refers to regional styles of Mexican music, incorporating a blend of indigenous Mexican, European and African influences.

Ensemble member Juan Díes said people who refer to “son” in Mexico usually speak of a specific region or state in the country.

“We call ourselves Sones de México because we cover all of those styles,” Díes said. “During the show people will see us move around different regions of Mexico.”

The sextet begins at 6 p.m. and will play a 2-hour show. Ballet Folklorico Girasol will begin its performance at 5 p.m.