Mexican Independence Day celebration in Chicago: Everything you need to know

Little Village moves forward with Mexican Independence Day parade amid immigration raids

Jennifer Aguilar of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce shares why the 54th annual parade will go on as planned, despite fear and uncertainty in the community.

CHICAGO - Chicago will celebrate Mexican Independence Day from Sept. 12 -16. Along with cultural events and neighborhood gatherings, city officials are urging residents to plan ahead and stay alert.

What we know:

Chicago will host multiple events across the city in honor of Mexican Independence Day, including the 26th Street Mexican Independence Day Parade in Little Village and the El Grito 5K Family Run/Walk.

Chicago Mexican Independence Day Parade organizers want to celebrate with 'passion'

Residents in Chicago?s Pilsen neighborhood were still set to celebrate Mexican Independence Day with a parade on Saturday, despite fears of stepped-up immigration enforcement in the city.

Here’s a full guide to things to do in Chicago this weekend.

Safety and Security 

Officials are reminding Chicagoans to be respectful of neighborhoods, expect traffic delays and potential street closures and to call 9-1-1 if suspicious activity is spotted. 

Downtown traffic plan 

Drivers heading into the Loop should prepare for delays. In extreme cases, access to the Central Business District may be limited, with access given with proof of residency, work ID or event reservations.

Potential downtown access points include: 

• Chicago/Green
• Halsted/Washington
• Halsted/Madison
• Halsted/Jackson
• Division/LaSalle
• Roosevelt/Canal
• Taylor/Desplaines
• 18th/State
• 18th/Michigan
• 18th/Indiana

Pedestrians will not be affected by these restrictions. 

What you can do:

The city strongly encourages festivalgoers to use CTA or Metra to avoid congestion. Street closures will be in place around event sites, including several near Broadway in Lakeview. 

For more information, visit Chicago.gov/OEMC.