Festival-goers will celebrate Puerto Rican Heritage at this year’s Aurora Puerto Rican Cultural Council’s (APRCC) Heritage Parade and Festival Saturday, July 28 and Sunday, July 29 at RiverEdge Park in Aurora.
The Aurora Puerto Rican Heritage Week will start Saturday, at 10 a.m. with the Puerto Rican flag-raising ceremony at Aurora City Hall.
The festival will feature performances from community and international musicians, including Los Sabrosos del Merengue directly from Puerto Rico. In addition to main stage performances, festival-goers will have the opportunity to experience authentic Puerto Rican cuisine. There will be games, arts and crafts, and activities for the entire family. The festival will take place from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 28 and Sunday, July 29 from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.. There is a general admission of $5 per day fee; ages five and under enter free. Full schedule of performances can be found on www.auroraprcc.org.
The Aurora Puerto Rican Day parade will step-off promptly at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, July 29 at the corner of River Street and Benton Street and go to the reviewing stand at 20 E Downer Place in Aurora.
Historically, the APRCC selects an individual who has demonstrated perseverance, selfless service, and leadership as a grand marshal. This year the council has selected Auroran, Mirna Lopez-Rivera, president/CEO of Midwest Occupational Health Management Services, Inc. as the grand marshal.
Lopez-Rivera, wife and mother of three, was born in Aurora and raised in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Abundant in cosmopolitan qualities, Lopez-Rivera, never has forgotten her societal responsibilities and has proven to be one of the Aurora Puerto Rican community’s most active and admired servant leaders who promotes unity and cultural pride in all of her endeavors. Lopez-Rivera previously served two terms as APRCC president, and without hesitation has been the driving force in countless community efforts, including the most recent fundraisers and collections to provide aide to victims of Hurricane Maria and the earthquake in Mexico.
The festival and parade are organized by the Aurora Puerto Rican Cultural Council. Proceeds generated from the festival help support the community of Aurora through scholarships and donations.
— Aurora Puerto Rican Cultural Council