Comunidad mexicana en Chicago grita independencia con orgullo tras año de silencio forzado.
Familias, delegaciones y cónsul Reina Torres Mendivil se reúnen en La Villita. Miles de personas recuperan sentimiento de nacionalismo en el medio oeste.
An estimated 400,000 spectators gathered in Chicago‘s Little Village neighborhood on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, for the 55th annual Mexican Independence Day Parade, marking a vibrant resurgence after reduced turnout during immigration crackdowns the prior year.
Organized by the Little Village Chamber of Commerce, the route stretched along 26th Street from Albany Avenue to Kostner Avenue, featuring floral floats, dancers, traditional horse riders, and grand marshal Adriel Favela.
“I know last year, the parade was a little bit gloomy,” said Ricardo Flores, general manager of the Little Village restaurant Mi Tierra En La Villita.
Flores stated that his establishment had previously lost half of its customer base during the peak of the 2025 immigration operations.
“This year, it’s not still at its full potential, I would say, but at least … morale is there,” said Flores.
He noted that high levels of caution previously kept residents indoors regardless of legal status.
“It really discouraged everyone. Even people who have (legal) status weren’t really going out, because they just didn’t want to be harassed,” said Flores.
Prior to the parade’s kickoff, the restaurant hosted a breakfast attended by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. Pritzker later marched in the procession ahead of his November reelection campaign.
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