MILWAUKEE — Did you know this festival started as a small celebration on Milwaukee’s south side in the 1970s? Today, it has grown into one of Milwaukee’s largest cultural festivals, powered by nearly 1,000 volunteers and 60 coordinators.
Dr. Antonio Guajardo Jr. has dived deep into the history of Mexican Fiesta. He wrote the book Mexican Fiesta Milwaukee: Building Community Through a Celebration of Culture.
He says a big reason for the festival’s growth was a strong community foundation, along with passionate volunteers who wanted to ensure Latinos were portrayed as a diverse group of contributors to society.
“The volunteers — why did they volunteer? They needed to tell their story, and it was important for them to tell their story of who they really are,” Guajardo explained.
Watch: Milwaukee author explores Mexican Fiesta’s 50+ years of history in the city
He also says the festival showcases the impact Latinos have on Milwaukee.
“To help somebody else become a contributor is important, and I think that Fiesta does that through the scholarships, through helping small businesses,” Guajardo said.
“This is an international expo. We have people come in from all over the country — California, Texas, the Midwest — so they are contributing to our economy. That money goes back to scholarships and building the community,” he added.
Guajardo, a military veteran and retired Milwaukee police detective, said it was important to write the book to share the stories of the people who helped build the event.
“I had enough source material to really get started. I had conducted interviews, people made references to it. I had the people who were involved who were still alive, so that got me into writing this book on Fiesta,” Guajardo said.
He also said it’s important for others to learn about the history and identity connected to the culture and the Fiesta.
Guajardo said what’s next for him: He is helping co-author a book on leadership focusing on the younger generation.
Mexican Fiesta runs through Sunday.
