Halloween & Dia De Los Muertos in the Pilsen Neighborhood

The older I get the more I appreciate the Chicago neighborhoods that embrace and remind me of my second home, Mexico. I have fond memories of eating food from the street food carts selling everything you can imagine as well as walking up and down 26th Street in La Villita, Now that I am older, I find myself returning to the Pilsen Neighborhood over and over again.

Brew-ja Crawl

On August 20, 2017 my boyfriend and I attend Pilsen Fest for the first time. It is a free event that is filled with the beautiful Mexican culture. You can find amazing food, great music and beautiful art at this festival. The wonderful part is that everyone is welcome, there is no cover but they do ask for a donation at the entrance. When we left that evening we were given a flyer for their 2nd annual Brew-ja Crawl. We enjoy a good time that includes drinking in costumes, so we were sold. 

The Brew-ja Crawl was on a chilly Saturday afternoon. This was a fundraiser for the Pilsen neighborhood so the community can still enjoy the Pilsen Fest every summer. The crawl consisted of 10 bars and breweries in the Pilsen Neighborhood. There were trolleys running from 12pm-6pm for the bars that were a little farther away. They gave you a map and tickets at check in, you ended up with 10 tickets one ticket per bar for a free beer. So trolley rides, free beer, people watching and having a memorable afternoon all for $30, you really can't ask for more. 

We met up at Yvolina's Tamales, because who doesn't like tamales before starting a beer crawl? We already ate breakfast but our friend Karen ordered a Chorizo Tamale with a delicious mole sauce on it. I will have to go back one day when I have a bigger appetite for tamales. Plus they have Vegan options for those of you who cannot have meat.

We were one of the firsts to check in and got a little treat to go with our beers. 

It was so much fun seeing everyone's costumes, I have come to the realization that adults really have more fun with their costumes than kids do. Our group was dressed up as Frida Kahlo, Mariachis and Wednesday Adams. 

While I am not a beer drinker and I was not a fan of any of them, I still had a blast! The people watching was honestly the best, I mean how can you not enjoy seeing people with crazy costumes running down 18th Street in Chicago? You will find some photos below of the different places we ended up making it to.

 The Drink Menu at Moody Tongue

 Where they keep all the beer nice and cold at Lo-Rez Brewing

My delicious Paloma at Twisted Cantina 

I honestly had so much fun, that I am planning to go again next year. There is also good news for those who are spirit drinkers such as myself, they have a Cantina Crawl in May. The Cantina Crawl are for those who enjoy the spirit based drinks rather than beer, that is more after my own heart. I heard there were drinks with mezcal last year, so you know I won't be missing it. I hope to see many of you there too! 

Dia De Los Muertos

Every year the National Museum of Mexican Art puts on an event for Dia de los Muertos called Dia de los Muertos Xicago. I think it is very special to put on an event like this so everyone can learn about this beautiful and important Holiday. It was freezing this year so I didn't stick around for very long like I did last year. 

Once again it is a free event and great event to attend. They have a handful of food vendors near the entrance of the museum. The organizers very beautifully place marigolds and candles all around the building. It gives it a perfect touch for simple decorations. Below are two pieces of art from last year's exhibit. 

There are different bands for entertainment during the event. You can also go into the National Museum of Mexican Art for free, they have a beautiful and interesting display for Dia de los Muertos, I recommend taking advantage of it. The line may look long but goes fast. If you end up going on any other day, there is always free admission to the National Museum of Mexican Art. 

Many families make ofrendas for their loved ones who have passed on, and they are honestly beautiful to see. You will see a large field filled with the beautiful memories of their loved ones. The organization also gives everyone an opportunity to upload a picture of their family member who has passed away and have a slot in their slide show. I submitted my grandparent's photo, but unfortunately the photo never came up, hopefully next year they will be shown. 

This is a great event for the family and friends a like. You can learn so much about the 2 day long holiday, and maybe even have a comfort that we are never alone when we lose someone. We all have or will go through it one day, and it is beautiful to see that memories live on forever. 

If you're ever in the Chicago area I recommend making a trip to the Lower West Side and check out the Pilsen Neighborhood. I hope all of you are able to experience Halloween weekend in the Pilsen Neighborhood at least once, because I had a wonderful time and cannot wait to experience it next year.

Con Amor,

Adriana