Fiesta del Sol continues in Pilsen
The largest Latino festival in the Midwest continued Saturday in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood and will continue through Sunday.
The four-day Fiesta del Sol, which has been held for 46 years, offers plenty of food, music, carnival rides and fun, spanning eight city blocks.
The event is also a fundraiser to benefit the neighborhood, supporting the Pilsen Neighborhood Community Council's scholarships and community organizing efforts.
The festival also has booths that offer a variety of services to immigrants, including voter registration and basic health screenings.
"This is the first time in the last ten years. And I've got to say, I love it. It's a lot better," said Antonio Galarza III.
For those who have ever lived in Pilsen, Fiesta del Sol is kind of like homecoming weekend. The festival is part of the fabric of this ever-changing community, which was recently called one of the coolest neighborhoods around the world by Forbes magazine.
"We see people from the old neighborhood that we know, because people come back. They move out and they come back for Fiesta del Sol. It's the main event. It's like a big party every year," said Isidro Ruiz.
"It was mostly Hispanic and now it's just bloomed into so many different cultures, so many different aspects to enjoy and too learn more. It's just exciting," said Esperanza Rodriguez.
More than 1.3 million people are expected to visit the festival through the weekend.
Fiesta del Sol runs 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, visit fiestadelsol.org.
Fiesta Del Sol
Cermak Road between Ashland and Morgan
Satuday 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Admission is free.
