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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKnown as \u201cEl Festival Latino,\u201d Sue\u00f1os returned to Grant Park to celebrate its fifth year over Memorial Day weekend.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Aaron Ampudia and Christopher Den Uijl, co-founders of La Familia Presenta and Sue\u00f1os, said they started the festival to support youth initiatives and businesses while uplifting Latino culture. According to Ampudia, the festival is a place for Latinos to be proud of their culture while non-Latinos actively learn about it. Den Uijl said the response from the community has been \u201camazing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s festival also featured prominent political figures alongside its star-studded lineup, with brief appearances from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker. In a cultural mashup, Pritzker was accompanied by the cultural icon Dr. Simi, the huggable and mustached mascot of Mexican budget pharmacy chain Farmacias Similares.<\/p>\n
These festivities were important for Chicago\u2019s Latinos to celebrate their diverse cultures and roots, especially considering this harrowing year for the area\u2019s Latino community. With the arrival of Operation Midway Blitz in the fall and its arrest of thousands, Sue\u00f1os was one of few Latino community events that had not been canceled or heavily monitored for fear of further immigration crackdowns.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sue\u00f1os welcomed tens of thousands of attendees to its grounds, equipped with a Ferris wheel and a community market, El Mercadito, selling international and local Latino brands. It also featured dozens of food vendors from all over the city selling antojitos and diverse Latin American cuisines.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s festival hosted three stages: Sue\u00f1os Main Stage for bigger artists, La Fuente for electronic-based and Latin dance acts and La Plaza for local talents.<\/p>\n
Festivalgoers repped their cultures and artistry, wearing Latin American flags, national soccer jerseys, and \u201ctrajes t\u00edpicos,\u201d or cultural outfits, ranging from Mexican folcl\u00f3rico dresses to ranchero getups. Some boasted their Latino and hometown pride with baseball caps and T-shirts repping places from Chicago to the Mexican states of Michoac\u00e1n and Jalisco.<\/p>\n
The festival\u2019s vibe of Latino joy also came from multiple costumed Dr. Simi mascots wandering the grounds, dancing and even hosting a dedicated DJ set at La Plaza stage. Sue\u00f1os\u2019 mascot, a big-bottomed flower by the name of Frikiflora, was also a hit among dancing festivalgoers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s lineup of artists was nothing short of previous years. From local talents such as DJ Miriam and Banda Pe\u00f1asco de Zacatecas to popular artists like Los Tucanes De Tijuana and Chino Pacas, the energy each artist brought to their respective stage was mesmerizing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On Main Stage, a core standout was Dominican rapper Tokischa, whose bass-heavy hits \u201cChulo pt.2\u201d with Bad Gyal and Young Miko and \u201cDelincuente\u201d with Anuel AA and \u00d1engo Flow merited a later-night slot time for maximum perreo. Puerto Rican singer Yandel was also a force to be reckoned with, singing reggateon hits like \u201cNoche de Sexo\u201d with a live orchestra.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On Saturday evening, Uchis kicked off her \u201cFor The Girls\u201d tour on Sue\u00f1os Main Stage. The Grammy-award winning artist arrived in a white carriage, blowing kisses to her fans before taking to stage to perform tracks like \u201cMu\u00e9velo\u201d and \u201cLoner.\u201d<\/p>\n
Balvin closed out the first day by showcasing his stellar discography. From his classic collaboration with Bad Bunny on \u201cLa Canci\u00f3n\u201d to \u201cQu\u00e9 Calor\u201d with Major Lazer and El Alfa, his high-energy set concluded with fireworks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before its Sunday night set, Fuerza Regida partnered with Amazon Music and Amazon Community Engagement to donate $100,000 to the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance and the National Museum of Mexican Art. Afterward, the band took the main stage to wrap up the festival.<\/p>\n
Fuerza\u2019s set, though a bit chaotic at times, was a celebration of Mexican identity and m\u00fasica regional, bringing up an Avengers-style lineup of guest artists, including Los Gemelos de Sinaloa and Clave Especial. \u201cMarlboro Rojo,\u201d \u201cPues Ya Ni Pedo\u201d and \u201cQu\u00e9 Onda\u201d with Pacas had the crowd singing in unison and dancing with significant others.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The band\u2019s fierce Mexican pride and call and response with the audience \u2014 a classic characteristic of m\u00fasica regional \u2014 was the perfect cap to a weekend full of culture, perreo and unabashed Latino joy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Email:<\/b> [email\u00a0protected]<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n X: <\/b>@alexbespeakin<\/a><\/p>\n Email: <\/b>[email\u00a0protected]<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n X:<\/b> @Marisa_G_Ech<\/a><\/p>\n Related Stories:<\/b><\/p>\n \u2014 Khalid delivers nostalgic, atmospheric performance at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Mayfest\u2019s 54th annual Dillo Day goes full throttle with live music, student spirit<\/a><\/p>\n