Aurora’s 13th Annual Fiestas Patrias Set for a Weekend of Music, Food, and Scholarships

Mark your calendars, because Aurora’s 13th annual Fiestas Patrias is back, and it’s taking over RiverEdge Park at 360 N. Broadway for a two‑day celebration on Saturday, Sept. 12, and Sunday, Sept. 13. The event honors Mexican Independence Day with a lively mix of music, food, and community spirit.

Tickets are modestly priced – $20 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under – but they’re expected to sell out fast. Organizers suggest snagging yours online ahead of time at RiverEdgeAurora.com; don’t count on finding tickets at the gate.

Beyond the fiesta fun, every dollar collected goes toward scholarships for Hispanic high‑school seniors from Aurora. The scholarships are managed by the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, giving local students a real boost toward college.

Doors swing open at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. The afternoon kicks off with Aurora’s own Ballet Folklórico Quetzalcoatl at 4 p.m., followed by Los Creyentes del Poder at 5 p.m. and Grupo Furioso at 6:30 p.m. At 7:45 p.m., a brief ceremony will honor the scholarship winners, and the headline act, Banda Carnaval, will take the stage at 8:30 p.m. for a night of high‑energy brass and rhythm.

Sunday’s lineup starts a little earlier, with roaming mariachi players serenading guests at 2:45 p.m. Then Los Aces Del Norte kicks off the official program at 3:30 p.m., followed by the colorful Parade of Nations at 4:30 p.m. The music keeps rolling with Grupo Mandingo at 5:15 p.m., La Fiera de Ojinaga at 6:45 p.m., the traditional El Grito at 8 p.m., and finally La Maquinaria Nortena closing out the night at 8:45 p.m.

The Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board helped shape the festival’s program. This nonpartisan, community‑based group serves as a bridge between Aurora’s Hispanic families and the broader city, meeting the first Monday of each month on the fifth floor of City Hall. More about the board can be found at www.aurora.il.us/AHHAB.

For a complete schedule, full performer list, sponsorship details, parking instructions, and venue rules, swing by RiverEdgeAurora.com. It’s shaping up to be a weekend you won’t want to miss.