MILWAUKEE – At Mexican Fiesta, family photographs covered a wall titled “Nuestra Historia,” each representing a family of early Mexican immigrants to Milwaukee. Each image traces part of the connections between Milwaukee and Mexico—links strengthened through the three-day festival.
The festival that began in 1973 as a one-day celebration, took place this year from Aug. 21-23. With live performances, a marketplace featuring artists from Mexico and culinary specialties like pan de feria, Mexican Fiesta uplifts and highlights Mexican culture.
At her stand in the marketplace, Gabriela Badillo sold jewelry made using traditional Mexican techniques. She greeted each person in Spanish, welcoming them to her little slice of Querétaro, Mexico.
“It means being able to bring a piece of Mexico here, because the people who come here, sometimes we’re the only contact they have with Mexico, because they can’t go,” Badillo said in Spanish.
The festival is organized by Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation (WHSF), and serves as their largest fundraiser. Antonio Guajardo, who sits on the WHSF executive committee, said WHSF has given out more than $2 million in scholarships since its start in 1987. As part of the scholarship, recipients volunteer at the festival.
“We’re about building community through the celebration of the culture,” Guajardo said.
Guajardo said the festival is also an opportunity to provide resources. Nonprofits and other service organizations were present, and the beer and concession stands were run by local nonprofits, which keep a percentage of profits.
For many, attending Mexican Fiesta is a longstanding tradition.
Mauricio Ramirez, an artist from Chicago, has been attending Mexican Fiesta since he was a child. His family’s roots in Milwaukee date to to the 1930s, and his parents met at the festival.
This was Ramirez’s third year creating a mural at the festival, which he described as “a love letter to Mexican Fiesta.”
“It doesn’t get any better than this, especially when my entire family comes out and it’s like a family reunion of everyone coming together without it being Christmas or a funeral,” Ramirez said.
Looking on at Ramirez’s mural, Alice Avila said she also grew up attending Mexican Fiesta. For the past four years, she has traveled to the event from Indiana with her senior citizens group.
“I used to come up here [Milwaukee] as a girl to camp and stuff, and now every year I come to this. And it’s awesome,” Avila said.
Guajardo, who has worked with WHSF in some capacity since 1987, said the festival’s endurance comes from the community members who continue returning each year.
“Every year I’ve been doing it for so long, and every year I look forward to these three days,” Guajardo said. “I get exhausted after the three days and I say, ‘This is my last year.’ I’ve been saying that for 40 years.”
Cover Photo: A mariachi player performs at Mexican Fiesta in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Aug. 21, 2026. / Abbey Osborn, Latino News Network