RiverEdge Park, in partnership with the City of Aurora’s Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board and the City of Aurora, is excited to announce the 13^th annual Fiestas Patrias Festival, Saturday and Sunday, September 12th and 13th at the newly expanded RiverEdge Park, 360 N. Broadway, in downtown Aurora.
Bring your friends, blankets, bag chairs, and dancing boots, and get ready for two exciting nights at the park in celebration of Mexican Independence Day. Not only does Fiestas Patrias bring live music, mariachi, local food vendors, and internationally acclaimed bands like Banda Carnaval and La Maquinaria Norteña, the two-day event raises thousands of dollars in scholarship funds annually for Hispanic, college-bound Aurora residents.

Gates open Saturday, September 12 at 3:30 p.m. Opening acts include Aurora’s own Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl at 4 p.m., Los Creyentes del Poder at 5 p.m., Grupo Furioso at 6:30 p.m., an onstage ceremony recognizing scholarship recipients at 7:45 p.m., and headliner Banda Carnaval at 8:30 p.m.

Gates open at 3 p.m. on Sunday, September 13. The Sunday schedule kicks off with roaming Mariachi at 2:45 p.m.; Los Aces Del Norte at 3:30 p.m., Parade of Nations at 4:30 p.m., Grupo Mandingo at 5:15 p.m., La Fiera de Ojinaga at 6:45 p.m., El Grito at 8 p.m. and La Maquinaria Norteña at 8:45 p.m.

Tickets, on sale now, are $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under, per day. Fiestas Patrias fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance at RiverEdgeAurora.com, while supplies last. Due to popular demand, there is no guarantee tickets will be available for purchase on-site during the festival.

Proceeds from Fiestas Patrias will go towards funding scholarships that assist college-bound students of Hispanic descent who reside in Aurora. Scholarships are administered through the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley.

For more information, including a complete schedule of events, full list of performers, sponsorship opportunities, festival offerings, parking instructions, and venue rules and regulations, visit RiverEdgeAurora.com.

About RiverEdge Park

RiverEdge Park debuted in 2013 and was renamed Thomas J. Weisner RiverEdge Park in 2016 in honor of late Aurora Mayor Thomas J. Weisner. RiverEdge is anchored by the contemporary John C. Dunham performance pavilion, with state-of-the-art acoustics and lighting set against a beautiful night sky. 

Following renovations this past year, RiverEdge has grown its capacity from 6,000 to 7,500, while still offering live concert excitement with a warm community feel and gorgeous views of the Fox River. Enhancements include a new entry way on the southern portion of the Park, a new VIP section, new restrooms, a new sponsor skydeck and a new beverage pavilion, and upgraded sound systems and two new jumbotrons to improve the attendee experience near the back of the Park.

RiverEdge Park is managed and programmed by the Aurora Civic Center Authority (ACCA), which also oversees Aurora’s historic Paramount Theatre, Copley Theater, Stolp Island Theatre and the Paramount School of the Arts. For tickets and information, visit RiverEdgeAurora.com or call (630) 896-6666.

Events at RiverEdge Park