In the heart of Chicago’s Grant Park, the Sueños Music Festival celebrated Latinos over Memorial Day weekend. Thousands flocked downtown Chicago for the fourth edition of the festival that has brought world-renowned names of the Latin music scene to the Windy City and uplifted the culture and identity of many.
This time, Shakira and Peso Pluma headlined Day One. Peso Pluma returned after an abrupt cancellation last year due to weather conditions, and Shakira delivered a two-hour set that concluded with a fireworks over the city’s skyline.
But amid the headliners, there was a new stage that featured some of Chicago’s local talent.
By featuring local talent alongside international headliners like Shakira and Peso Pluma, Sueños aims to bridge the gap between global fame and local artistry, offering attendees a rich tapestry of musical experiences.
For the artists, many young and full of dreams, performing at Sueños lifts up their name and the Chicago music scene.
Last year, Ramiro Medina, lead singer of the band Lemanz, attended the festival to see Peso Pluma. This year, Medina said, he was part of the lineup.
“It’s unbelievable. It’s a blessing,” he said as he got ready to perform.
Lemanz, a norteño band that emerged in the Chicago music scene over the last two years, was one of the many local regional Mexican bands that performed on the La Plaza stage.
The band started out as a hobby, he said, just some friends hanging out and sharing their love for their Mexican heritage through music about five years ago. They started to perform at family parties and smaller venues.
Eventually, Medina said, it became his career.
For Medina and his band mates, the opportunity means that more doors will open for them.
“I’m excited and grateful. I feel blessed,” said Alexis Villalobos, the accordion player for the band. “It’s been five years since we picked up this project and it’s finally picking up.”
As young Mexican-Americans, forming a part of a regional Mexican music band goes beyond music. It is about embracing the culture they love and how much they want others to also appreciate it.
“My parents are very happy, they’re more excited than me to be here,” Medina said. Some of his siblings, he said, were there to see the band perform. Though Medina was born and raised in Chicago’s South Side, his family migrated from Puebla, Mexico.
Efren Vasquez, 34, a founder member of Vanguardia, one of Chicago’s most renowned bands, has witnessed the pride for Mexican culture that perhaps was not there before.
“Not only are they no longer ashamed of their roots, there’s a whole festival that celebrates us,” Vasquez said. He added that he is proud to see younger generations of Latinos following their love for music.
Vanguardia started about seven years ago and quickly rose to the top of the music scene in Chicago because of its unique style.
Vasquez said that the new stage gives an opportunity for people to see Chicago’s rising talent. Vanguardia performed Saturday to a crowd that slowly started to build up at La Plaza stage, followed by Lemanz and other local DJs. On Sunday, Los K-bros and Grupo Sekta joined the show.
This inclusion not only enriched the festival lineup but also underscored the importance of supporting homegrown artists, according to festival organizers.
“Supporting and uplifting Latin culture has always been at the core of Sueños. That’s why we’re proud to feature the La Plaza Stage this year, fully dedicated to Latino bands and DJs from Chicago,” said Aaron Ampudia, one of the co-founders of the festival. “The response has been incredible. These artists deserve a spotlight, and we’re honored to offer them a platform to connect with new audiences and be part of something that’s bigger than just a performance — it’s a cultural movement.”
In 2024, the festival generated roughly $243.7 million in economic impact and grew from 80,000 to 130,000 attendees. This year, the festival expects to again see 130,000 people over the two-day festival.
At Sueños, the next generation of mainstage headliners could get their start on the La Plaza stage.
