Aurora man intends to organize Mexican Independence celebration

Despite having a nearly 40 percent Hispanic population, most of which is Mexican, Aurora does not have a celebration dedicated to Mexican Independence Day.

That fact is not lost on Jesus Sanchez, owner of downtown Mexican restaurant Las Quinta De Los Reyes, 36 E. New York St.

"Aurora is a large city with a lot of Mexicans living and working here, but it is also the largest city that does not celebrate our big independence day," Sanchez said Monday. "So beginning next year I'm going to do everything I can to help make sure the entire city can celebrate on Sept. 16."

Every year, Mexicans all over the world celebrate their independence from Spain on Sep. 15 and 16.

In the late hours of Sept. 15, 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a priest in the small town of Dolores, Guanajuato, rang the church bell to gather the townspeople. Sanchez said the priest called for the people of Mexico to rise up against Spain, initiating Mexico's War of Independence. The country did not achieve independence until 1821, but it is this event, known as the Grito de Dolores, that is celebrated.

Sanchez said he knows he will likely have to start small and his efforts may even take a few years, but he believes it is important.

"This year we are celebrating in the restaurant tonight with live music, food and guest speakers," he said Monday. "Next year we'll try for something bigger. Eventually we would like to have maybe a two-day musical celebration and a parade on Sept. 16."

City spokeswoman Amy Roth said the volunteers organized a Sept. 16 celebration for many years but the celebration and parade disbanded after the 2002 event.

"Unfortunately the event grew out of hand and resulted in arrests, fights and an increase in moving violations and traffic offenses as crowds caravanned through the neighborhoods," Roth said. "So the mayor at the time, David Stover, canceled the parade."

Years later in 2005, Roth said, the Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board created the more family-friendly Fiesta de Luces, held Saturday, to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, including the festivals of independence from Spain by Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua.

"That is a nice event but we would like to celebrate our day just like everyone else," Sanchez said. "I understand things were done wrong by another group in the past but I'm going to work this year to prove to the city that we can do things different and give the community a nice celebration."

As recently as Monday, city officials said no one had pulled a permit to host a parade next Sept. 16, but Sanchez said he hopes to soon.

"The mayor has told me the rules to follow to do it the right way and I will," he said. "So we'll start planning now and see how it goes."