Celia Jiménez here, thinking about El Grito, the Cry of Dolores, the moment when the Mexican War of Independence started on Sept. 16, 1810 in Dolores, Hidalgo, Mexico.
This weekend, the streets of Salinas—a city whose residents are nearly 80 percent Latino, most with Mexican or Mexican American ancestry—will fill with joy and colors to celebrate Mexican Independence.
The parade on Saturday, Sept. 14 begins at the Vineyard Church, 1122 East Alisal St., at 3pm, turning onto North Madeira and East Market Street and ending at the starting point.
Alan Gomez, one of the organizers, says they expect more than 200 organizations participating in the parade including Salinas Valley Charros, folklorico group Luna Creciente and the car club Castroville Midnight.
The following day, Sept. 15, the celebration continues with a street festival beginning at noon on East Alisal Street from Felice Street to Madeira Avenue. The festival is free to attend and people will enjoy live music with many local bands, as well as folklorico, Aztec dancing and lucha libre rings.
Mariachi Luz de Luna, Corazon Azteca, Banda Irresistible and Manuel Perez will be some of the performers on the two stages at the festival.
The Mexican Consul will also be present and hold a ceremony at 2pm to celebrate Mexico’s independence.
This big celebration in Salinas has been taking place for more than two decades. For the past three years the nonprofit Tradicion por Siempre has been in charge of organizing it.
There are more than 60 people that have worked on the event since July, right after the Rodeo Salinas ended.
Sept. 15 is also memorable for Latinos in the U.S., because it’s the beginning of Latino Heritage Month, celebrating our history and contributions. I thought it was a little strange that it starts mid-month, but it makes sense once you learn it coincides with the independence of several Latin American countries including Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras.
And while Mexican Independence and Latino Heritage Month are focused on the Latino diaspora, they are also an opportunity for everyone to enjoy a community festival, hang out with friends and eat tasty food. What is your favorite part of El Grito in Salinas and beyond?
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