WORLD-RENOWNED MURALIST, GRAMMY AWARD WINNERS EXPECTED TO DRAW 50,000 TO PILSEN

Chicago, IL – Celebrate the close of summer with a weekend-long celebration of the city's rich Latino and Mexican culture in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood. Pilsen Arts & Music Festival (Pilsen Fest) returns for its sixth year and features a vast array of live music, theatre, spoken word, visual arts, and cuisine Saturday August 19 through Sunday August 20, 2017.

"Pilsen has been a cultural and creative hub for generations,” says Esmirna Garcia, Pilsen Arts & Music Festival CEO. “The festival is a great way for people in and around Chicago to fully experience everything Pilsen has to offer."

In partnership with the T. G. Masaryk Czech School and the National Museum of Mexican Art, Pilsen Fest opens with the unveiling of Pilsen Family Encounter - a year-long project of archiving family stories and photographs which immortalize Pilsen's diversity, creativity, and culture - at the Mexican Museum of Art on Friday August 18, 2017.

World-renowned muralist and fixture in the Pilsen community Maestro Héctor Duarte unveils paintings and prints created for this year's festival. Pilsen Fest features local and internationally renowned musical acts. Headliner acts include Billboard chart-topping musicians Nina Sky, Grammy and Latin GRAMMY Award winner iLe, Mexican rock band Rey Pila, Nina Diaz who was named one of the most exciting rock vocalists by National Public Radio’s David Brown, Miami-based Latin iTunes chart-toppers Elastic Bond, and emerging pop-duo LOLAA. Local musicians include Purple Tokyo, Décima, and Avantist with remaining acts currently competing in a "battle of the bands" for the final spaces.

***

Event Details: 

WHAT: Pilsen Arts and Music Festival 

WHEN: August 19 (12:00pm to 10:00pm) & August 20 (12:00pm to 10:00pm)

WHERE: W 18th St & S Blue Island Ave, Chicago, IL  

DETAILS: $5 suggested donation; however entrance to the festival is free.

PARTNERS: Bilingual digital magazine, El BeiSMan, Simple y Entero, Pilsen Community Market, T. G. Masaryk Czech School, & the National Museum of Mexican Art.

***

About Pilsen Arts & Music Festival

Pilsen Arts & Music Festival celebrates the rich cultural and creative communities of Chicago's vibrant Latino and Mexican communities. Founded in 2012 by local cultural workers, merchants and community members, this immersive creative and cultural experience includes live music, art, food, theatre, poetry, handmade crafts, and educational seminars. More than 100,000 people from Chicago and surrounding areas have attended the weekend-long festival.

Pilsen Arts & Music Festival is an Illinois 501c(3) not-for-profit organization whose aim is to celebrate and embrace diversity, solidarity and unity. For more information or to contribute to its mission visit PilsenFestChicago.com.