Despite inclement weather that delayed the processions for more than an hour, each parade carried on with the familiar scenes and sounds of horns blaring, mariachi music blasting and brightly colored marchers decked out in garb that represents their culture.
In the background, though, was a feud brewing for months leading up to the celebrations between the two organizers, due to each wanting to be solely in charge of planning the parade.
Waukegan police deputy chief Scott Chastain said that thanks to an unprecedented amount of preplanning of extra city resources for the two parades, only two arrests were made Sunday, and both were off-site from the parades and festivals. For parade-goer Osmar Lamadrid, that resulted in an experience that was not up-to-par in terms of what the event should be.Now, the city’s risk-management team will evaluate how the events went, Taylor said. Based on that information, officials will make a decision on whether the two will happen again next year, or if there will be another way to celebrate.
Some of those interviewed said they wished the leadership in Waukegan wouldn’t always boil down to politics, and instead focus on the residents. Both organizers are deeply involved in the Waukegan Hispanic community. Zepeda runs a bilingual newspaper, while Carrasco is the head organizer of the Fiestas Patrias organization that hosted the annual parade in previous years.
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