CHICAGO'S 9TH ANNUAL GREAT COLOMBIAN FEST WILL BE HELD IN A NEW LOCATION, THE MAIN CAMPUS OF NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE.
NEIU OPENS ITS DOORS TO THE PUBLIC ON FRIDAY, JULY 14 ON A DAY DEDICATED TO THE GREAT COMMUNITY WITH FREE ADMISSION!
CHICAGO—Northeastern Illinois University will host El Gran Festival Colombiano (The Great Colombian Festival) on the University's main campus (outdoors) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. from July 14 to 16. Main entrance gate is located at 3701 West Bryn Mawr Ave. and Central Park Avenue in Chicago.
The festival celebrates the culture and traditions of Colombia, from its cuisine and carnivals, to its music: cumbia and vallenato and typical dance. The festival will also include cultural workshops along with guest artists who will share their talents with the community in an exchange of music, art and dance.
The public will be able to enjoy the explosive carnival colors of this passionate celebration while learning to dance cumbia and salsa and enjoying incredible flavors and drinks. Savor a fresh and light lager beer that is brewed in Chicago thanks to a collaboration of Casa Humilde Cervecería and Ortega Brothers specially created for the Great Colombian Festival; GFC Premium Lager. (4.5% ALC/VOL).
The festival will present La Gran Parada that celebrates the life and spectacle of "Carnival", where you can see traditional costumes led by CONGO GRANDE of Chicago along with Raíces de Mi Tierra, a new, newly formed folklore group that will perform on Sunday the 16th. July, the last day of the festival. Congo Grande is directed by the Festival's director and founder, Jorge L. Ortega, a Chicagoan who was born in Barranquilla, Colombia.
Early bird tickets for El Gran Festival Colombiano / Colombian Fest Chicago are now on sale at the event website, EVENTBRITE, TICKETON or at select ticketing locations, for a complete list of ticket outlets please visit the event website. General admission tickets available on the day of the show at the front door at a higher price.
Gran Festival Colombiano/Colombian Fest Chicago is produced by Ortega Brothers LLC. with the support of our community partners; ICLC. The festival will apply a surcharge for each ticket sold. $2.00 per ticket will benefit the NEIU Foundation for the GFC Scholarship Fund and the ICLC Cultural Preservation Fund.
Transportation to the Festival:
It will be convenient to use the Ride Share, Car Pool apps and public transportation Bus #53 Pulaski, Bus #84 Peterson, Bus #81 Lawrence, Bus #82 Kimball/Homan, Bus #92 Foster, Kimball Brown Line and Lawrence Ave.
YOU CAN PAY IN ADVANCE PARKING WHICH IS AVAILABLE AT NEIU BY ENTERING FROM BRYN MAWR AVE. AND CENTRAL PARK AT TICKETON.COM OR AT THE DOOR ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT.
Stay up to date with the latest news, visit colombianfestchicago.com or on social media @colombianfestworldwide
The festival will feature legendary and contemporary artists; LA REINA DEL MERENGUE MILLY QUEZADA, YEISON JIMÉNEZ, WILLY GARCIA (Former Singer of Grupo Niche, Son de Cali) WITH GFC INTERNATIONAL ALL-STAR BIG BAND, ELDER DAYAN DÍAZ, THE LATIN BROTHERS, ARMANDO DAVALILLO (ORIGINAL SINGER OF LOS ADOLESCENTES), SON PALENQUE, LA JARA NYPD BAND, many more!
Friday, July 14 – Program Highlights
The Great Colombian Festival will dedicate Great Community Day to Chicago first responders on Friday, July 14, 2023 from 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM. In honor of the fallen heroes of the Chicago Police Department and Fire Department: P.O. Andrés Vásquez Lasso, P.O. Ella French, P.O. Areanah Preston, Fire Lieutenant Jan Tchoryk and Jermaine Pelt. with a special concert with the New York City Police Latin Tropical Band; LA JARA! And GFC International All-star Big Band made up of 32 of Chicago's best musicians along with emerging local talent.
GFC along with the Chicago Police Department sports teams will host a FREE SUMMER SPORTS CAMP for kids beginning Friday, July 14, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., @ NEIU Athletic Field. Players and coaches from CPD ENFORCERS, CPD Baseball Club KNIGHTS, CPD FC, CPD WOMEN'S FC, CPD WOMEN'S SOCCER, CHICAGO POLICE SOCCER CLUB, CHICAGO POLICE BASEBALL CLUB FINEST and CPD CAPS 17TH DISTRICT along with former NFL football players will lead the camp sports that includes; Exercises, leadership practices and lots of fun!
Saturday, July 15 - Program Highlights;
Willy García, salsa vocalist from Buenaventura, Colombia, will be making the Festival's main stage shine with his orchestra along with 32 musicians from the Gran Festival Colombiano International All-Star Big Band! Willy García has formed and been part of the most important salsa groups in Colombia; NICHE Group, SON DE CALI and The Supreme Court.
This year The Queen of Merengue will be honored: Milly Quezada celebrating 45 years in music. Quezada has been awarded the Latin GRAMMY 4 times and returns to Chicago with her 18-piece orchestra direct
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