West Chicago celebrating Mexican culture this weekend

There will be live music, food and a parade during this weekend's Viva Mexico Independence Day Festival in West Chicago.

But, at it's heart, the two-day event is a celebration of Mexican culture.

"I feel like our festival is unique because of the cultural heritage that's on display," said Sara Phalen of the Mexican Cultural Center DuPage, which plans the party. "It really brings Mexican culture and our city's heritage to life."

Roughly 3,000 people are expected to visit downtown West Chicago on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 15 and 16,

to attend the festival, which is produced with funding from the city. Phalen said the event "is a great way to get a taste of Mexico" through music, dance, food, and more.

The first day starts at noon Saturday with five different food vendors and informational booths along Main Street. Work on an 18-foot Jenga tower is expected to begin around 2 p.m.

An all-day concert featuring a list of Mariachi groups - from middle school programs to top level university ensembles - is planned for 1 to 10 p.m. The biggest performance will happen that night when Mariachi Aztlan from the University of Texas Rio Grand Valley takes the stage.

While large crowds are expected on Saturday, Phalen said the highlight of the festival will be Sunday's parade, which steps off at 1 p.m. from Leman Middle School, just north of Forest Avenue and Joliet Street.

The procession of more than 40 entries is expected to include dancers in colorful costumes, riders on horseback and the Leman Middle School Folklorico Dance Group. It's expected to take a route north on Joliet, east on Conde Street, north on Wilson Avenue and west on Main.

At 2 p.m. there will be a re-enactment of "El Grito," or the cry of independence made by Roman Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo. "El Grito" originally took place on the morning of Sept. 16, 1810, and marked the start of the Mexican War of Independence.

The grand finale will be at 5:30 p.m. with the dramatic opening of a 13-foot donkey piñata.

"It's one of a kind," Phalen said of the piñata, which was built by West Chicago resident Victor Arellano.

The Fiberglas-and-wood creation will be hoisted via a crane about 30 feet in the air and then opened, filling the street below with a massive amount of candy and treats for children to scoop up.

"It all gets picked up," Phalen said, "every bit of it."

Visit the city's website, westchicago.org, for more information about the festival.