CELEBRATE UNIQUE MEXICAN TRADITIONS IN PILSEN, THE HEART OF CHICAGO’S MEXICAN COMMUNITY

Pilsen Posadas
Saturday, December 12, 2009

5:00am - 6:00pm

18th Street, Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago

Chicagoans can get a jump on this year’s Holiday celebrations and the city’s winter festival season at the first ever Posadas en Pilsen festival on Saturday, December 12, 2009. The Posadas en Pilsen festival will be a daylong event that will take place from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. along 18th Street and extending into some arterial streets in Pilsen, the heart of Chicago’s Mexican community. The event is being organized by the Pilsen Commerce Roundtable, a group of small businesses united to expand and strengthen commerce in Pilsen.

There will be many opportunities throughout the day for people to join in the day’s festivities. The day’s activities begin at 5:00 a.m. with the celebration of La Virgen de Guadalupe, patron saint to Mexico, at the neighboring churches with music and mass, attendees will be given the opportunity to eat a traditional Mexican breakfasts at participating restaurants and cafes. The highlight of the event is a walking tour along 18th Street, the main commercial corridor in Pilsen, beginning at noon. Attendees will then have the opportunity to visit 25 participating businesses and sample traditional Ponche, a Mexican hot beverage consisting of sugar cane, fruits, and cinnamon, all the while judging nativity scenes either hand crafted by local artists or by the business. There will be awards given to both the best Ponche and Nativity Scene and will all culminate at an outdoor festival at Plaza Tenochtitlan on the intersection of 18th Street and Blue Island Ave. where attendees will be given a complimentary Aguinaldo, traditional gift-bag given to the attendees who make the pilgrimage throughout Pilsen filled with various traditional candies and fruits, also the children will be given the opportunity to participate in breaking of a piñata that same evening.

“We wanted to create this event for Pilsen because it’s one of Chicago’s largest Mexican communities, and the Posada tradition is very important to the Mexican and Latino community” said Hector Saldana, one of the event’s organizers. A variety of businesses from Pilsen have signed up to participate and compete including restaurants, cafes, galleries and other local business.
Participating businesses:

De Colores Restaurant
Galería y Sabores
1626 S. Halsted St.
312.226.9886

Kristoffer’s Café
1733 S. Halsted
312.829.4150

Chicago Community Bank/Chocolate For Your Body Spa/BLR Realty
1743 S. Halsted St.
312-226-0777

Studio One Tattoo
1010 W. 18th St.
312.226.4220

The Beer Run Gallery
1104 W. 18th St.
312. 226. 4220

Ciao Amore Ristorante
1134 W. 18th St.
312.432.9090

Don Churro
1626 S. Blue Island Ave.
312.733.3173

Mestizarte Casa de Cultura Carlos Cortez
1440 W. 18th Street
312 455 1114

Mundial Cocina Mestiza
1640 W. 18th St.
312. 491.9908

Discoteca Angela
1736 W. 18th Street
312.593.7184
773.216.6636

Oxala Art Gallery
1653 W. 18th St.
312.850.1655

Fogata Village Restaurant
1820 S. Ashland Ave.
312.850.1702

Giron Books
1443 W. 18th St.
800.405.4276

Del Sol Realty/Real Fantasies Art Studio
1441 W. 18th St., 1
312.829.7812
773.504.1898

Jumping Bean Cafe
1439 W. 18th Street
312.455.0019

La Esperanza Restaurant
1864 S. Blue Island Ave
312.226.9640

El Milagro Restaurant
2400 W. 21st Pl.
773.847.6436

Rockotitlan/Casa Aztlan
1831 S. Racine
312.666.5508

Tonantzin Cultural Gallery
1173 W. 18th St.
312.479.1970

For more information please visit www.PilsenPortal.org/Posadas