Dressed in Culture at the Sueños Music Festival

CHICAGO — As the Sueños Music Festival celebrated its fifth anniversary in Grant Park this past Memorial Day weekend, the lineup drew large crowds to kick off summer with a celebration of Latin music and culture. 

Founded in 2022, the festival brings Chicago together. This year’s headliners included J Balvin, Kali Uchis, Danny Ocean, Fuerza Regida, Yandel, and Ryan Castro. 

The Latino Newsletter spoke with several festivalgoers about what drew them to Sueños and what the festival means to them. Overall, they shared that this festival is all about expressing yourself and feeling proud of your heritage.

Zinaisnena Peña and Angelina Castro have been friends for more than a decade, having first met at 12 while playing softball together. Despite the years passing, they stayed in contact and attended the festival together. 

Peña is half Puerto Rican and half Peruvian and previously lived in Puerto Rico for a couple of years before returning to Chicago. She was excited to see De La Rose, Tito El Bambino, and Tokischa. Having attended Sueños for the past five years, Peña said it has been incredible to watch the festival continue to grow.

“We can unite as one, and we can have a great time without any racism or anything like that. It’s all one love, one community,” she said.

Castro identifies as Latina with a multicultural background, including Mexican, Colombian, Peruvian, Puerto Rican, and U.S. Pacific Islander. Wearing a Cubs jersey, Castro also brought her Colombian flag to the festival.

“We got the flag to represent artists like J Balvin and Kali Uchis. You can express yourself however you want. Don’t be scared, don’t be shy. Because there are some hateful people out there, but if you feel confident in yourself, go spread it,” Castro said.

Ryan Novarón-Méndez, a first-time Sueños attendee visiting from Minnesota, traveled to Chicago with friends and family for the festival. Drawn by this year’s lineup, he described the experience as unforgettable, explaining that his clothing choice was a way to highlight his Mexican heritage and express pride in his culture.

“Honestly, with everything going on this year, with ICE and everything else, it’s always good to represent where you come from, no matter if you’re born here or you’re outside of this country. So, always represent and always remember where you come from,” Novarón-Méndez said. 

DJ Fredy Fresco, the official DJ and host of Sueños since its founding, summed it up simply. Mexican, Salvadoran, and Guatemalan, he said his sounds come from his roots.

“The community is big, it’s loud, and it’s present. I think the festival being here in Chicago is great. It’s a big city, the Latinos are definitely present, and everybody’s welcome to come. We’re here to celebrate the culture.”

Hector Cervantes is a freelance writer based in Chicago who enjoys covering stories related to Latin culture, entertainment, and community.

Over 4 million people have had the same lightbulb moment.

Morning Brew is a free daily newsletter that breaks down what’s happening in business, finance, and tech — clearly, quickly, and with enough personality to make it the best email in your inbox.

No yelling. No filler. Just the news, finally making sense.

Puerto Rico Agency Chief Resigns: From the Associated Press, “The head of Puerto Rico’s key economic development agency announced his resignation on Tuesday as he criticized the U.S. territory’s administration of Jenniffer González, accusing it of interfering in the department’s work.”

Senator Says ICE Pepper-Sprayed Him: Via the Guardian, “Protests continued on Tuesday outside an immigration detention center in New Jersey where US senator Andy Kim said he was pepper-sprayed by federal agents the day before during a demonstration against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) outside the facility.”

Consider donating to The Latino Newsletter. Any contribution, no matter how small, helps keep this newsletter free and accessible to all. ¡Gracias mil!