Waukegan’s annual Fiestas Patrias parade and festival is scheduled to take place in September with new management, as the former organizers still hope to reclaim the oversight they had the past three years.
The 2023 Waukegan Independence Parade and Festival is currently planned for Sept. 17 in downtown Waukegan as the community commemorates Mexico’s independence with a parade and community celebration.
While the Fiestas Patrias group led by Margaret Carrasco was in the process of meeting the city’s requirements to file an application for a permit, another group — Puro Futbol headed by Oscar Zepeda — submitted a complete application for the Sept. 17 date.
Percolating since the first of the year, the situation became public during Monday’s Waukegan City Council meeting when Elizabeth Marrero, a Fiestas Patrias volunteer, and several others supporting the organization spoke during time reserved for public comment.
Marrero questioned the transparency of the application process. She said Puro Futbol is not an organization registered with the state of Illinois. It is a soccer league, and its address is that of a newspaper, she said.
“I am asking you to research this letter, look into the discrepancies that were found,” Morrero said. “It seems we’re forgetting the purpose of this event. This is a cultural and heritage event, not a moneymaking issue.”
Marcus Martinez, an attorney with Waukegan corporation counsel Elrod Friedman, said at the meeting only corporations and limited liability companies are required to register with the Illinois Secretary of State, not a privately held concern like Puro Futbol.
Zepeda said in an email Thursday he is one of the owners of Puro Futbol which has been based in Lake County since 2004. He applied to operate the parade and festival this year because he wants people to understand the importance of the Latino heritage in the city.
“This event does not belong to anyone, it belongs to the Hispanic community,” Zepeda said in the email. “As a Mexican who knows the history of the independence of Mexico, I see a Hispanic community in Lake County eager to know about their culture.”
With an application process starting in early January, Mayor Ann Taylor said after the meeting Monday the application permit process for all events or parades started Jan. 9.
Fiestas Patrias submitted its application Jan. 3 and the city rejected it the following day because it was filed early, according an email from Martinez. In its rejection, the organization was reminded of fees still owed from 2022. Fiestas Patrias paid the fees May 19 and submitted a new application June 5.
Carrasco said there was a dispute about the amount of money due from last year. She said it was approximately $3,200, while the city claimed it was substantially more. Carlos Parada, who works with special events for the city, said the actual amount was $5,933.
Meanwhile, Puro Futbol submitted its application for the parade Feb. 23, and the festival March 24.
Martinez said in the email, Fiestas Patrias’ June 5 application was denied June 6 because it “will conflict with another requested special event.” When one application is pending, another will not be issued.
Parada said Puro Futbol has completed most of the requirements to hold the event like a site plan, proof of insurance and stage approval. It has until Aug. 25 to meet the remainder of the requirements.
Zepeda said Puro Futbol was given permission to begin “our advocacy” promoting the event by the city during a May 3 meeting with Taylor and other city officials. He is confident the event will go well, both operationally and educationally.
“We believe that the Hispanic community will go home with a better understanding of what their independence is,” Zepeda said.
Carrasco said Fiestas Patrias is appealing the city’s decision. She filed the appeal June 27, and is awaiting a date for an administrative hearing.
