Joliet's Mexican Independence Day Parade Won't Be Canceled

JOLIET, IL - One week ago, the Chicago Tribune reported that Joliet would not be having its 56th annual Mexican Independence Day Parade in the coming weeks. Parade organizers did not have enough money to keep the parade afloat, the paper reported. But on Wednesday night, Joliet Patch learned that Joliet's longstanding parade tradition will happen after all. Joliet's 56th annual event will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15.

The parade begins north of the Old Joliet Prison on Collins Street near the corner of Williamson Avenue. The route continues about seven blocks. It ends near Cass Street.

On Wednesday night, Joliet community activist Bob Hernandez said that Mayor Bob O'Dekirk was instrumental in making sure that the community's time-honored tradition did not come to a sad end. Many years, the Mexican Independence Day Parade draws between 12,000 and 25,000 spectators, Hernandez said.

Hernandez said that the parade organizers were about $7,000 in debt, but Joliet's mayor reached out to a number of Joliet businesses, who in turn, made the necessary donations so the mid-September tradition can continue.

"I called the mayor, and right away he agreed to seek out donors so the parade could go on, and the Hispanic community is very thankful to the mayor," Hernandez told Joliet Patch.

Last week, the parade's organizer, Marge Franchini-Rodriguez, declared on Facebook that, "After 50+ years, it saddens me to inform the Community that the Mexican Independence Day Parade will NOT take place this year September 15, 2018 due to lack of Financial funding to pay off the City of Joliet's time and effort they worked at last year's Fiestas Patrias Parade which is still due."

Here is last week's subsequent article in the Chicago Tribune announcing the Mexican Independence parade's cancellation.

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