Cinco de Mayo parade in Little Village canceled

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The annual Cinco de Mayo parade in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood has been canceled, but organizers said it will return next year.

The parade, which had been scheduled for Saturday, usually draws tens of thousands of people and has been held for 40 years. The parade and festival are held in Douglas Park.

Hector Escobar, of the Cermak Road Chamber of Commerce, said the city denied the parade's permits.

"We're very disappointed, a lot of businesses are disappointed because they buy a lot of food because there's hundreds of thousands of people who come here," Escobar said.

Organizers said their permits were denied, but Ald. George Cardenas (12th Ward) said organizers canceled the parade on their own. The permits would have been granted, Cardenas said.

"My support is predicated on their ability to put on not just the event, but also do good by the community," he said.

Many business owners are disappointed because the parade draws so many people to the neighborhood.

Organizers expect many people to show up for a parade on Saturday and they will be there to pass out leaflets about the cancellation.