Latino festival aims to improve business culture

[NBPD]

Berwyn, IL —
When Fiesta Nuestras Raices takes over Wesley Avenue between 16th and 17th streets on Saturday, event organizers hope it'll be more than just a street festival.

Loosely translated as "festival of our roots," the fiesta is meant to be a chance for Berwyn's Latinos to celebrate their heritage and give Hispanic-owned businesses a chance to assimilate into the community.

"We wanted to have a Latin-themed event that promotes the tradition of the people that live in Berwyn and cater to the people who live here," said Joe Vallez, executive director of the North Berwyn Park District and chairman of the Latino Business Committee of the Berwyn Development Corporation, the event's two main sponsors.

"I think overall, everybody is really thrilled to be able to come out," Vallez added.

Manuel Pacheco, owner of Detour Maps, will be promoting his business at the festival. Getting exposure within the community is essential to his company, he said, which designs maps for business groups and distributes them to residents.

"This is a great chance for me to do some branding," Pacheco said.

For Pacheco, the chance to celebrate his Latino roots also is a unique opportunity.

"It makes you feel a little proud," he said. "You also get to see the diversity within the Latino community. We have Latinos from all over South America and Central America, and each country has its own culture."
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Berwyn is now a majority Latino city.

Vallez hopes Fiesta Nuestras Raices — in its third year — will make clear one of the most important parts of any Latino culture: family. The celebration will feature clowns, magicians, food vendors, ponies, a petting zoo, a giant slide and an interactive art feature.

The festival will not serve alcohol.

"We want the people who live here to be able to walk to something from their home that's something they're comfortable and familiar with," Vallez said.

By Brett Schweinberg, bschweinberg@mysuburbanlife.com
Berwyn Life

[pkd50]

Show of hands......who's going?

[Bonster]

Show of hands... who knows where 17th Street is?  

[MindoverMatter]

This was a good event!  Hope they have it next year!

[pkd50]

It would be between 16th & 18....if Berwyn had one?

[Bonster]

It would be between 16th & 18....if Berwyn had one?

Pretty much the point, pkd.