The Mexican Independence Day Fiesta Brightened Cherokee Street on Saturday

St. Louisans celebrated Mexican Independence Day with two days of festivities, one on Cherokee and one a bit further south on Gravois. On Saturday, better known as "El Grito de Dolores," festival-goers on Cherokee Street commemorated Miguel Hidalgo's call to arms against the imperial Spanish government. Although the event honored Mexican heritage, food and goods from other Latin American countries such as El Salvador and Bolivia were on display as well. Local bands, food trucks and vendors lined several blocks of the normally busy road starting at noon and ending later that night. - Text and photos by Tom Hellauer