Juárez knows how to party with a Mexico Independence Day celebration featuring the superstar grupero band Bronco, fireworks, a drone show and a crowd of nearly 40,000 in the border city's Chamizal Park.
The celebration of the traditional Grito de Independencia (cry of independence) festivities took place Tuesday night, Sept. 15, along Juárez's Abraham Lincoln Avenue at the Chamizal Park near the Bridge of the Americas, named the Córdova international bridge on the Mexican side of the border.
Mexico's Independence Day is on Sept. 16, but the main celebrations, including the Grito de Dolores, take place on the evening of Sept. 15. The Mexican holiday is also known as 16 de septiembre.
The traditional independence day parade in Juárez took place Wednesday, Sept. 16, celebrating the 216th anniversary of the start of the fight for Mexico's independence.
Mexico's War of Independence began with a cry for rebellion against the Spanish empire known as the Grito de Dolores (the Cry of Dolores) led by the Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in the early hours of Sept. 16, 1810, in the town of Dolores, near Guanajuato. The complex struggle ended in victory for the forces for independence in 1821.
Juárez Mayor Hector Rafael Ortiz Orpinel, at Tuesday night's traditional call for freedom speech, spoke about how Juárez, as a border community, has been a refuge and a home for those seeking a better life for generations, a city news release stated.
"Vivan las hermanas y los hermanos migrantes," said Ortiz Orpinel, according to a city statement, meaning, "long live our migrant sisters and brothers."
Juárez police reported no major problems at the massive festival, which was safeguarded by police officers, military troops, firefighters, paramedics and city inspectors, officials said.
Bronco, Omar Camacho perform in Juárez for Mexico Independence Day
The free festivities at the Chamizal in Juárez featured food vendors, fireworks, a drone show and concert headlined by the longtime popular Mexican musical group Bronco, whose string of grupero hits include "Que no Quede Huella" and "Sergio el Bailador."
The concert also featured La Zenda Norteña band and Omar Camacho, a Mexican American singer born in Chula Vista, California, and raised in Tijuana who is described as a rising star for his fusion of Mexican regional music and hip hop.
The independence day festivities in Juarez on Tuesday night also included another Grito de Independencia city celebration attracted about 30,000 people at El Sauzal baseball field in the Valley of Juárez, across the border from San Elizario, Texas, a Juárez city news release stated.
Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com and @BorundaDaniel on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Bronco headlines massive Juárez Mexico Independence Day celebration
