Locals prepare for El Grito celebrations

El Grito celebrations will start Friday night and continue throughout the weekend here in the Desert Southwest.

News 11 visited on spot in Brawley where the whole community is invited to participate.

“It’s the independence of Mexico, all this was started by Miguel Hidalgo De Costilla,” said Jenny Benavides, Treasure of Hidalgo Society.

Hidalgo along with a group of his constituents rang a church bell on September 16th, 1810 to announce revolution against the Spanish.

“Mexico celebrates it on the 15th because that’s when they do El Grito which was the cry for independence in Dolores,” added Benavides.

This year’s celebration at Hidalgo Hall will include a visit from the Consulate in Mexicali.

“He will be the one explaining what we are celebrating and then he will ring this bell behind me,” explained Benavides.

This symbolizes the bell Miguel Hidalgo rang 206 years ago.

“So the El Grito celebration is kind of a way for kids to connect with their roots is what you’re saying,” asked Nico Payne, News 11 Reporter.

“Yes, and then ask and read on it and know more about their culture, from their grandparents or parents or ancestors,” answered Benavides.

“They make it a really big thing in Mexicali or in Mexico, but here they never celebrated on this side of the valley. So we said let’s start doing it, so we started doing it,” said Benevides.

The El Grito celebration will kick off with a barbacoa dinner and 5 p.m. and the party will continue through Midnight with traditional dances, Mariachi and more.

Another big celebration will be taking place at Centro Civico in Mexicali and that celebration will last long past Midnight!