There was a time when many Latino artists creating music in Spanish aimed to cross over to the Anglo market. It was a sign of success, “that you have made it,” said Messiah, a Dominica Latin trap artist that attended the second annual Sueños Music Festival in Chicago’s Grant Park over the weekend.

“But now you see the Anglo market trying to do the crossover to the Latino market — seeing many artists that sing in English trying to collabo with those who make music in Spanish,” he said. “That’s a prime example of how big of a force we are.”

Music industry leaders have recognized the value of not only music in Spanish in the United States but the value of their fans and the need for spaces to celebrate them.

Sueños, Chicago’s first large-scale reggaeton music festival, did just that, galvanizing thousands of fans from the city and suburbs, some traveling from different states. On opening day Saturday, most were of Latino descent, and some were not, but the power of music united them all.

“The fact that it is at Grant Park is meaningful because this is normally where Lolla and some of the biggest festivals are at,” said Julio de La Cruz from Back of the Yards. “It’s very special for us. It makes me feel proud to see the crowd and see so many Latinos together.”

Sueños (“Dreams” in English), was launched last year as a festival of reggaeton music and Latino culture, and as a way of recognizing the strong and growing Latino culture of the city, according to its organizers. But as regional Mexican music also transcended language barriers and gained in popularity in the last year, the genre of the artists at the festival also expanded.

Headliners include Wisin Y Yandel, Grupo Firme, Feid and Nicky Jam. Other artists scheduled include Becky G, Junior H and Chencho Corleone.

Chicago local DJ Miriam will be returning. Last year, she said, it was a dream for her mother to see her perform alongside top Latino artists.

Many waved flags of different South and Central American countries, others wrapped themselves in them: there were Mexican flags, Puerto Rican, Colombian and Peruvian flags.

Wrapped in a Puerto Rican flag, Gerardo Quintana smiled at the crowd. Though he is Mexican, someone had given him the flag during a performance and he took it.

“This is how it should be all the time,” said Quintana. “This is valuable because I feel like we had been ignored, and this is a fun way of enjoying our heritage and loving one another. We are stronger together, celebrating one another.”

Quintana said that festivals empower Latinos to support one another and uplift their morale because they feel valued. He hopes it gets to the level of Lollapalooza, it has that potential, he said.

But while most felt proud and celebrated, others said that some of the amenities still need some work to make it a worthwhile experience. The wait to get inside the festival for some was nearly an hour, causing frustration and anger, and comparisons it to the production level of festivals like Lollapalooza.

“It was so disappointing,” said Lisette Mendoza, who waited over an hour to get inside the festival.

The festival, organized by La Familia Presenta and the producers of Lollapalooza, has the goal “to be a place where fans can feel free, seen and connect with one another,” according to a statement from organizers. In response to Tribune questions about wait times Saturday, a festival spokesperson said in part that fans “showed up in force early in the day, which left us with some less-than-ideal wait times.  We are making some changes for day two to improve the entrancing experience while also maintaining a high level of safety. The Chicago Latin community has been amazing, and we will always work to provide a top-level experience.”

Michelle Garcia, 25, did not let the wait trump her excitement to be at the festival surrounded by more than 20 of her friends. The group had long awaited the weekend after attending the first festival last year.

“I’m listening to my playlist live,” she said. “I feel proud that our music is up there on the charts, that people are more aware of our music.”

Mayor Brandon Johnson took the stage on Saturday for a few minutes, promising that the festival would have a home in Chicago for as long as he is in office.

“As long as I’m mayor of Chicago, Sueños will always exist,“ he said to a cheerful crowd. “(You all) are the soul of Chicago.”

Nearly 100,000 festival goers were expected through the weekend in Grant Park.

But the Latino representation goes beyond the music. The festival’s food and beverage options are also made up of local Latino vendors, some immigrant-owned. More than 75% of the food and beverage vendors at the festival in 2022 were Latinos, said Jaime di Paulo, president of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Festival organizers also increased their commitment to giving back to the community, announcing donations of some $50,000 to four local organizations including this year the National Museum of Mexican Art and the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance.

Messiah, a pioneer of Latin Trap, remembers when few listened and many did not believe in the music. Now there are artists like Bad Bunny, transcending culture, language, and many more barriers.

There’s no longer a need to know Spanish, and understand the lyrics to appreciate the art of the music, he said.

“Look at how far we’ve come,” he said as he looked around the festival. It was in 2013 when his first song went viral. “It’s a proud dad moment,” he laughed.

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