As Waukegan officials grapple with challenges of holding back-to-back Fiestas Patrias parades and simultaneous festivals Sept. 17, the bickering organizers of the two celebrations continue to insist they should be the sole planner.
The Waukegan City Council debated Monday, without a conclusion, the necessary logistics to safely hold the two events the same day as some alderpersons tried to find a way to include more participants in the parades.
Fiestas Patrias celebrates the independence of Mexico and other Latin American countries. Mexico declared its independence from Spain on Sept. 16, 1810.
Listening to a presentation from Carlos Parada, the city’s special events coordinator, the alderpersons and an overflow crowd of more than 150 people learned each parade — one starting at 10 a.m. Sept. 17 and the other at 12:30 p.m. — was limited to 60 people.
“That’s not a parade,” 2nd Ald. Jose A. Guzman said. “That sounds like a block party to me.”
“Is this going to be a march or a parade,” said 3rd Ward Ald. Juan Martinez. “Is it even worth parking my car to bring my family out for 60? To me it seems like a march. I’ve never, ever in my life seen a parade with 60 people.”
Parada said last year’s parade had about 120 participants, so each group will have 60 this year to keep the overall number about the same and to assure safety of the participants and onlookers.
“We look to the chief of police and fire chief to handle the security measures for this type of event,” Parada said. “They’re putting a plan together to make sure our community is safe and to enjoy the festivities.”
Eighth Ward Ald. Lynn Florian said she also was surprised at the limit on the number of participants, and 1st Ward Ald. Sylvia Sims Bolton said 60 people is not realistic.
“Why don’t we say you can do 60 entries of up to 10 people,” Florian said. “That would give them a little more wiggle room. It will be 60 positions on the road. I think that’s a little more realistic. If you have a band you have 30 people right there.”
Neither the Waukegan High School marching band with about 80 members, nor the school’s JROTC with about 400, can participate, according to a Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 spokesperson.
Mayor Ann Taylor said safety and security of people in the parades, the crowd and the residents who live along the nearly mile-long Washington Street route are the city’s primary concern.
“If you want to have a different number we need to have a discussion with public safety where they tell us the number,” Taylor said. “They were OK with each group having 60. I don’t know if they’ll be OK with 60 entries with 10 people because that’s 1,200 people total plus your crowd control.”
Organizing the first parade is the Fiestas Patrias organization, a not-for-profit corporation which organized the parade and festival the past few years. The second parade is under the auspices of Puro Futbol.
Margaret Carrasco, the head organizer for the Fiestas Patrias organization, and Oscar Zepeda, an owner of Puro Futbol, each continued to argue their group should be in charge.
“We want to strengthen the ties between different cultures and the people of this beautiful city,” Zepeda said. “We ask for one parade and that the one for Puro Futbol remain. The parade concentrates on the heroes of the independence.”
Carrasco said her group should organize the parade and festival.
“That permit is ours,” Carrasco said. “We ask the aldermen to cancel” the permit held by Zepeda’s group.
After Carrasco submitted an application on behalf of Fiestas Patrias for a special event permit Jan. 3, six days before the city accepted requests, and because of debts remained from the previous year, the application was rejected.
While Carrasco was resolving her organization’s issues with the city, Zepeda applied for a parade permit Feb. 23 and a festival permit March 24. The city then reserved the Sept. 17 date for him.
As the city was in the process of approving Zepeda’s permit, Carrasco resubmitted her request June 5. Zepeda’s application was properly submitted before Carrasco resubmitted. Her second request was denied.
The City Council voted 7-2 July 17 to ask the city’s special events group to reconsider Fiestas Patrias’ situation. Its decision was two parades and festivals.
Should either group fail to comply with all requirements by Aug 17, Taylor said its permit will be canceled. She also expressed another idea.
“The other option is the city could take it over,” she said.
