On Sept. 16, 1810, the Mexican War of Independence was launched with a call for the end of Spanish rule in Mexico. Eleven years later, Spain accepted Mexico’s independence. Just as Americans celebrate their independence from Britain on the Fourth of July, many Americans celebrate Mexico’s independence from Spain during Fiestas Patrias, or Patriotic Holidays.
Brazos Valley residents will celebrate a world that values all cultures, education, and the arts during Fiestas Patrias Mexicanas Cultural Day on Friday, Sept. 7, and the parade and festival on Sunday, Sept. 16, in Downtown Bryan.
Fiestas Patrias Mexicanas is a nonprofit organization founded in the early 1990s by Roy Lopez and his late father, Emilio. Alma Villarreal, Fiestas Patrias Mexicanas administrator and event organizer, has worked with the organization for 25 years and is dedicated to promoting higher education for everyone and instilling awareness of the Mexican culture through Fiestas Patrias Mexicanas celebratory events.
Villarreal says Fiestas Patrias Mexicanas events would not be possible without their sponsors. Last year’s main sponsorship came with a unique story featuring the Rodriguez family from Bryan. You may recognize two Rodriguez family members as famous actors. Raini appears in the Disney Channel series Austin and Ally and blockbuster movies like Paul Blart: Mall Cop. Rico is best known for playing Manny Delgado in Modern Family.
According to Villarreal, the sponsorship came about when the Rodriguez family appeared on Celebrity Family Feud last year. Unlike regular Family Feud, families in Celebrity Family Feud play for charities instead of receiving cash prizes themselves. Mr. Rodriguez’ late father was good friends with Emilio and Roy Lopez. When it came time for the Rodriguez family to pick a charity to play for, Roy suggested Fiestas Patrias Mexicanas. The family agreed it was the perfect charity to support through their Celebrity Family Feud winnings.
This year’s underwriting sponsor is Brian Gutierrez, an injury lawyer whose firm is located in Downtown Bryan. Thanks to Gutierrez’ underwriting sponsorship and sponsorships from local families and businesses, this year’s Fiestas Patrias celebration kicks off at the Palace Theatre on the first Friday in September with Cultural Day. This program brings authentic mariachi bands and gifted Mexican singers to the stage along with children dancing in traditional Mexican attire. The climax of the evening is the coronation of this year’s queen and awarding of scholarships.
“This year we’re having something special,” Villarreal explains. “We’re going to have kind of a little model show with the [seven] candidates ... They are all going to dress up with different costumes from different states of Mexico.”
Villarreal sees a person, not the color of their skin or their age. Her love for all people and value of higher education led to three scholarship categories given by Fiestas Patrias Mexicanas. Scholarship categories include the high-school-age royal court scholarships, an essay contest judged by Texas A&M University faculty members for current college students, and scholarships for teachers continuing their education.
On Mexico’s actual Independence Day, Sept. 16, Fiestas Patrias Mexicanas hosts a celebratory parade and festival. The parade kicks off at 12pm and is followed by the oldest grassroots festival of its kind at 1pm.
The parade attracts about 5,000 people to Downtown Bryan. It features local staples such as the Fighting Texas Aggie Band, Reveille, and the Catalena Cowgirls, as well as mariachi bands, vaqueros, and people dressed in traditional Mexican attire.
Throughout the day, live music fills the streets, food booths fill the air with decadent aromas, children can ride a mechanical bull and play in the children’s area, and the entire Brazos Valley community comes together to celebrate.
Giving back is a main focus of Fiestas Patrias Mexicanas, according to Villarreal. “It helps the community, it helps kids with their scholarships, and we have the culture and the traditions that we’re instilling into the kids so they can continue doing good stuff for the community,” she says. “To me, there’s big pride in showing kids when they’re little where they came from and their roots and instilling that in them. That’s never going to go away. That’s who you are.”
For more information about Fiestas Patrias Mexicanas events and how to apply for their diverse scholarships, visit www.fiestaspatrias.org or contact Alma Villarreal at villarreal0213@gmail.com or (979) 575-2910.
