Joliet, Illinois – The Joliet Latino Economic Development Association (LEDA) – a 501c6 not-for-profit organization whose vision is to build a financially and culturally prosperous Latino community – announces that the Joliet Latino Music and Food will be returning to downtown Joliet on Saturday, September 17th, 2022. Last year, the event brought thousands of attendees to Joliet’s downtown for a celebration of music, food and comunidad that included a reception for recipients of the Hispanic Latino Coalition of Will and Grundy County scholarship and a Grito de Dolores ceremony from the Mexican Consulate in Chicago.
“Last year’s event was incredibly successful because of the community,” says Alex Páramo, President and Founder of the organization, as well as an East Side Joliet-native. “Joliet is about a third Latino, and a majority of those City residents are near the City’s downtown, so it is crucial that we continue to make all parts of the City accessible and promote economic activity throughout.”
The event has included mechanical bull riding, a kid zone, caricatures and balloon making. In addition, LEDA partnered with the Illinois Department of Public Health to host a vaccination clinic. This year’s event expects to expand with even more amenities, activities, food vendors and musical performances.
“The Latino Music and Food Festival captures the vision of the organization because we are able to stimulate economic activity for local entrepreneurs through a celebration of culture, and redirect that capital toward building the capacity of our organization to further advance economic development for the community, all while also still supporting the next generation of local leaders through scholarships.”
LEDA is asking for community support to reach a fundraising goal of $50,000. As LEDA’s primary fundraiser, funds will be used for the event expenses and to support programming, which includes administering culturally relevant assistance to local entrepreneurs.
About Joliet Latino Economic Development Association
We are committed to advancing the economic opportunities for Latino businesses and individuals by creating and connecting them to educational, cultural, and civic resources to expand community prosperity.
For Media Inquiries:
Alex Páramo
Joliet Latino Economic Development Association aparamo@jolietleda.org