A pair of parades celebrating Fiestas Patrias — the independence of Mexico and other Latin American countries — and possibly two festivals will take place in downtown Waukegan on Sept. 17, rather than the one event of past years.
The city of Waukegan Monday resolved competing applications from two groups — the Fiestas Patrias Organization and Puro Futbol — hoping to organize the events by giving them both permits and the community multiple opportunities to celebrate.
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“The city’s overall goal is to allow both groups to celebrate their respective events and for the public to go enjoy these special events while maintaining adequate resources to protect all Waukeganites,” the city said in a statement Tuesday.
After Margaret Carrasco submitted an application on behalf of Fiestas Patrias for a special event permit Jan. 3 — six days before the city accepted requests — and debts remained from the previous year, the application was rejected, according to the statement.
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While Carrasco was resolving her organization’s issues with the city, Oscar Zepeda applied for a parade permit Feb. 23 and a festival permit March 24. The city then reserved the Sept. 17 date for him.
As the city was in the process of approving Zepeda’s permit, Carrasco resubmitted her request June 5. Zepeda’s application was properly submitted before Carrasco’s resubmission.
Since the city lacked the resources to accommodate both events the same day, the Fiestas Patrias application was denied. The organization appealed the decision to the City Council July 17. The aldermen voted 7-2 “to reverse the decision,” the statement said.
“In an effort to accommodate both parties, the mayor and city staff have authorized both events to occur on the same date and time,” the statement said. “Given the city’s concerns to maintain adequate resources to accommodate traffic control and safety measures for both events, each group’s special events permit was granted with stipulations.”
When Carrasco learned about the dual permits and parades, she said she was displeased with the decision for two parades. She questioned the administrative procedure of her appeal and the lack of a legal opinion rather than a letter from the city setting forth conditions.
“This does not address the issues,” Carrasco said Tuesday. “We’ll see about that. I’m going to take it to the next level. I’m going to seek an emergency injunction.”
After learning of the city’s decision, Zepeda said he planned to follow the rules and conditions imposed by the city, like limiting the number of parade participants and placing the events several hours apart on a similar route.
“The only thing I can tell you is that our intention is to try to preserve our Hispanic cultures, informing and educating; not slandering or offending,” Zepeda said. “We will do everything possible to unify the Hispanic community, not tear it apart, by the whims of one, or a regrettable group of people.”
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The first parade organized by Puro Futbol is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. Sept. 17 and the Fiestas Patrias procession is set to begin at 12:30 p.m. the same day, according to letters sent to both organizations by the city. The first must end by noon, and the second by 2:30 p.m.
Both parades will follow a similar route east approximately a mile on Washington. The processions end at Sheridan Road in downtown Waukegan, according to letters sent to the participants. They end at city parking lots in opposite directions on Sheridan.
Puro Futbol has a permit to hold a festival from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sept 17 in a city parking lot at the corner of Sheridan and Water Street. If Fiestas Patrias meets city-set conditions by Aug. 4, it will be able to hold a festival in a city parking lot at the intersection of Sheridan and Clayton Street.
“In striking a balance, the city anticipates an enjoyable day for all,” the city said in its statement.