MILWAUKEE — A beloved Milwaukee tradition celebrating Mexican Independence Day will be put on hold this year, leaving community members disappointed and searching for alternative ways to honor their heritage.
The United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS), the nonprofit organization that hosts the annual parade and festival on Milwaukee's south side near Oklahoma Avenue, announced on Facebook that it would pause this year's celebration to prioritize direct services to the community amid federal funding uncertainty.
"While we navigate a challenging landscape for nonprofits, particularly considering current and anticipated federal funding constraints tied to the broader political climate, pausing this event will allow us to focus short-term resources where our impact on individuals, families, and communities is most needed," read the post.
Watch: UMOS announces 2025 Mexican Independence Day festivities off
The post also appears on its website. However, the Mexican Independence Day event webpage is unavailable.
The event traditionally takes place in mid-September with a parade traveling to UMOS where a festival would take place. Last year, they celebrated 50 years of the festivities.
Juan Flores, who has attended the celebration for years with his family, learned about the cancellation during the interview.
"We are going to be real sad. Where are we going? What are we going to do this year?" Flores said.
The annual event has been a cornerstone for the Latino community, featuring traditional food, colorful floats, and live music.
Flores particularly cherished bringing his granddaughter, whom he would dress in traditional Mexican attire for the festivities.
"We try to celebrate with our people. Beautiful party, beautiful parade," Flores said. "We love it. We like it."
A UMOS representative acknowledged questions about the pause when TMJ4 reached out but did not provide additional details.
Flores speculated that federal pressure, including potential Immigration and Customs Enforcement involvement, could have contributed to the organization's decision.
"They don't want us to keep growing up, so that's why they try to put us down," Flores said.
Despite the disappointment, Flores remains hopeful the celebration will return.
"We turned into American citizens but our heart stays apart of Mexico," Flores said. "We need a comeback."
Normally, parade day would see lawn chairs lining Oklahoma Avenue with excited families ready to celebrate, but this year the street will remain quiet.
This story was reported on-air by Mike Beiermeister and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
