By Hola Nebraska
OMAHA, Nebraska — Fiestas Patrias will bring three days of free concerts, cultural performances and family activities to Historic South 24th Street from Friday, Sept. 11, through Sunday, Sept. 13.
Kumbia Kings will headline Saturday night at 8:45 p.m. Conjunto Río Grande will close Friday’s programming with a performance beginning at 9 p.m.
The free festival will center on 24th and N streets in South Omaha. Other activities will extend along the Historic South 24th Street corridor.
Casa de la Cultura and Supermercado Nuestra Familia are presenting the event, which continues a South Omaha tradition of Mexican festivals dating to 1920.
Fiestas Patrias runs Sept. 11-13 in South Omaha
- Dates: Friday, Sept. 11, through Sunday, Sept. 13.
- Location: Historic South 24th Street, centered near 24th and N streets.
- Admission: Free.
- Friday hours: 5 to 10:30 p.m.
- Saturday hours: 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
- Sunday programming: The Mariachi Mass begins during the 10 a.m. hour, followed by festival activities through 10:30 p.m.
- Parade: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
- Kumbia Kings: 8:45 p.m. Saturday.
- El Grito and fireworks: 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
Admission covers entry and the scheduled entertainment. Food, vendor purchases and carnival attractions may carry separate charges.
Conjunto Río Grande headlines Friday at 9 p.m.
Friday’s programming will begin at 5 p.m. with Raíces de México. The Hispanic Art Center of Omaha will perform at 6:30 p.m., followed by Super Gitano at 7:30 p.m.
Conjunto Río Grande will take the stage at 9 p.m. and close the first night at 10:30 p.m.
The Zacatecas-based group has performed for more than five decades and is known for a norteño sound built around accordion, bajo sexto and saxophone.
The Saturday parade begins at 11 a.m.
The Fiestas Patrias parade will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday along Historic South 24th Street. The procession is scheduled to begin near South 24th and M streets.
Parade participants will assemble between 9:45 and 10:45 a.m. Groups and organizations can register through the festival before the event.
The South Omaha Community Care Council Health Fair will also operate from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. near South 24th and M streets. CHI Health and local health professionals will provide information and complimentary screenings.
Limited free parking is available near Wells Fargo and Walgreens on 24th Street
Fiestas Patrias identifies three public parking options near the festival, according to the event’s official FAQ page. The Wells Fargo lot at 4650 S. 24th St. opens for festival parking Saturday after 1 p.m. and all day Sunday. A lot at Skadraski Heating & Cooling, 5115 S. 25th St., offers limited free parking for the entire festival. A Walgreens lot at 24th and L streets is also available.
Private lots near 25th and L streets, including those serving Charter West Bank and the Boys Town South Omaha office, are not for festival use and are monitored for towing, organizers said.
Kumbia Kings close Saturday night at 8:45 p.m.
Saturday’s stage schedule begins at noon with Andy Williams and Nebraska All Stars. Nostalgic will perform at 1:45 p.m., followed by Oye Como Va, a Santana tribute group, at 3:30 p.m.
The Hispanic Art Center of Omaha will perform at 4:30 p.m. Lucha libre begins at 5:30 p.m., and Rosendo Robles y su Gente VIP will take the stage at 7:30 p.m.
Kumbia Kings will close the night with an 8:45 p.m. performance. The festival identifies the performers as original members of the group.
Sunday ends with El Grito and fireworks
Sunday will open with the annual Mass with Mariachi near South 24th and M streets. Mariachi Los Caballeros will perform while Assumption Guadalupe Church leads the service.
Casa de la Cultura lists a 10 a.m. start for the Mass, while the festival’s detailed weekend lineup places it at 10:30 a.m. Organizers had not reconciled that 30-minute difference as of Aug. 26.
The Hispanic Art Center of Omaha will perform at noon. Grupo Azteca follows at 1:15 p.m., Grupo Trobellino at 2:30 p.m. and lucha libre at 5:30 p.m.
Ray Bustamante y Los Nobles will perform at 7:30 p.m. Banda Santa Cruz and the Fiestas Patrias El Grito program will begin at 9:30 p.m., followed by fireworks.
South Omaha and downtown Omaha will host separate El Grito events
The Sunday El Grito at Fiestas Patrias is separate from the Mexican Consulate’s downtown Omaha celebration one day earlier.
The Consulate-led event will run from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at Gene Leahy Mall, 1001 Douglas St.
Related: Omaha will celebrate Mexican Independence Day with El Grito at Gene Leahy Mall.
The two celebrations take place at different locations. Fiestas Patrias will continue along South 24th Street on Saturday while the downtown El Grito operates at Gene Leahy Mall.
The official Fiestas Patrias weekend schedule contains the current performance times. Questions can also be sent to [email protected].
Fiestas Patrias will begin at 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11. The three-day celebration will end after Sunday night’s 9:30 p.m. El Grito program and fireworks.
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