City of Waukegan Approved Fiestas Patrias Parade Special Events Permit For September 17, 2023

Fiestas Patrias will proceed with their annual Mexican Independence Day parade for September 17, 2023.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

July 24, 2023

Waukegan, Illinois - On Monday, Margaret Carrasco, the President of the Fiestas Patrias organization in Waukegan confirmed that the City of Waukegan approved their annual Mexican Independence Day parade for Sunday, September 17, 2023. Last week, Fiestas Patrias won an appeal on July 17th, when the Waukegan City Council voted 7-2 that indicated the City didn't follow proper policies and procedures when Fiestas Patrias filed for a parade permit shortly after the January 9th application process initially began. Fiestas Patrias (FP) had applied for a parade permit from the City prior to January 9th and the City didn't accept the parade permit application because it was to early to submit one. The FP organization attempted to re-apply and the City wouldn't accept their application because they allegedly had an outstanding police service debt of at least $6,000.

Carrasco and her FP organization tried to pay nearly $3,000 that was actually owed for police services and not $6,000 that the City and the Waukegan Police Department were requesting. A new police chief was hired and later determined that indeed, Fiestas Patrias only owed at least $3,000 for police services, which they attempted to pay immediately, but it took the City nearly 7 months to bill Fiestas Patrias with an invoice. By then, Oscar Zepeda who operates and owns Puro Futbol Newspaper submitted a Mexican Independence Day parade permit application under Puro Futbol in February 2023 for a September 17th event, and afterwards Fiestas Patrias also reapplied again for a City parade permit on June 2023 for their special event on September 17th, according to the City of Waukegan Special Events coordinator.

Carrasco appealed the City's multiple rejections of the FP's permit application and won her appeal that indicated that the City erred in their procedures against FP.

Carrasco also claimed that Zepeda doesn't have his business Puro Futbol registered with the State of Illinois, so Carrasco registered Puro Futbol in her name with the State. 

FP will hold community events from September 1st to the 17th leading to the Mexican Independence Day parade and festival.

Fiestas Patrias has been organizing and holding a Mexican Independence Day parade and festival for the last 40 years in Waukegan.

Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor was promoting Puro Futbol and their Mexican Independence Day parade for September 17th, but apparently, the City never approved a City parade permit for Puro Futbol.