Chicago's 2017 Puerto Rican Festival - A Photo Essay
/Photos and words by April Alonso.
Organizers of the Puerto Rican Festival prepare to cut the rope at the entrance of the festival in Humboldt Park on Thursday June 15th, 2017.
Festival attendees wait for the gates to to open. Organizers gathered together to give a speech before proceeding with festivities.
A couple of men wearing Puerto Rican flag jerseys watch as people race around in bumper carts on Friday to kick off the festivities that lead into the Saturday Puerto Rican Day Parade.
Onlookers cheer on relatives as they partake in the bumper cart games available at the festival.
This shooting gallery game was one among many carnival games and rides present at the festival for people to enjoy.
Festival goers enjoy themselves in Humboldt Park during a time in Chicago and around the country where the Puerto Rican culture is celebrated and recognized.
Among the many games and entertainment, there were age friendly options for younger children to enjoy like these inflatable water versions of bumper carts.
The 2017 Puerto Rican Festival took place in Chicago from June 15th- June 18th near the Puerto Rican flag arch that marks the beginning of Paseo Boricua in Humboldt Park.
The Puerto Rican Festival in Humboldt Park kicks off the festivities where people came out to celebrate Puerto Rican culture. Many enjoyed the rides, entertainment, music and food that were available during the festival.
La Autentica Restaurant booth prepares food.
Cook from Ranchero Mateo poses for a photo as he called for people to come and taste their food.
Energetic cook from Ranchero Mateo calls for festival attendees to buy food!
Cynthia Torres (L) and Veronica Ramos (R) are two out the three women(the third being Maria Segura), who run a 1 year old catering business called OutDo Events. They participated in the Puerto Rican Festival 2017 in Humboldt Park as food vendors, promoting their food and business.
The Puerto Rican Festival in Humboldt Park kicks off the festivities that people came out to celebrate their Puerto Rican culture. Many enjoyed the rides, entertainment, music and food that were available during the festival, 2017.
A wide variety of ages were present at the festival and people came with their families and friends to enjoy the festivities.
An enthusiastic festival goer partakes in the festivities on the first day of the Puerto Rican Festival. The festivities included live music acts, carnival rides, games, and food.
The vendors present at the Puerto Rican Festival sold a variety of products including flags, clothing, hats, and necklaces..
A family places a version of beer pong - without the beer - at the Dr. Pepper tent. The person who got three pong balls into the cups won a Dr. Pepper T-shirt.
One vendor sold little boxing gloves that had the Puerto Rican, Cuban Salvadorian, and Mexican Flags.
Vendor tables at the festival.
People take a seat on the hot day that kicked off the Puerto Rican Festival in Humboldt Park.
People peruse a vendor tent that sold products tat the festival.