About Villapalooza!
\ vÄ“-yäh-pä-lü-zä \
noun / verb / adjective / adverb /pronoun
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Villapalooza is a collective of Latine community members who come together to create safe spaces for arts and culture.
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We develop multiple platforms that highlight local talent and young creatives. Villapalooza aims to activate spaces to make them more accessible to the larger community.
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All core leaders have a longstanding relationship with Little Village, as well as a commitment to nurturing a thriving youth arts culture in the neighborhood.​
The Villapalooza Team
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Board Members
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Jesus Contreras Jr
Zully Mijangos
Claudia Rangel
Armando Silva
Marissa Alvarez
Jacqueline Covarrubias
Ana Solano
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How it started!
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Villapalooza began in the summer of 2011 when a group of friends gathered at a local café in La Villita, to imagine new ways to bring local, accessible and culturally relevant arts to Chicago’s Little Village. Twenty-five community members showed up to that first visioning session, united by a shared goal: to create safe, inclusive spaces for youth and artists across our neighborhood.
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What started as a grassroots idea soon became the first Little Village Music Fest—a free, all-ages music and arts festival. Its success marked the beginning of a growing movement.
Over the years, Villapalooza has partnered with hundreds of local musicians, artists, and vendors, transforming streets, parks, and community spaces into vibrant celebrations of art and culture. From activating 26th Street to hosting Villa en los Jardines pop-ups during the pandemic, the festival’s spirit has always been rooted in community resilience and creativity.
In 2024, the festival expanded to La Villita Park for the first time, featuring live music, Djs, dance performances, lucha libre, art, food, and more. Through every evolution, Villapalooza remains a volunteer-driven effort grounded in love for Little Village—continuing to create joyful, safe, and empowering spaces through music and the arts.​
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​​​​​Honorary Members
A growing list of incredible individuals who have served on our board or generously shared their time, creativity, and expertise to make Villapalooza possible:
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Hector Herrera Yepez, Rebecca Martinez, Victor Herrera Yepez, Gustavo Herrera Yepez, Dahriian Espinoza, David Hernandez, Jessica Estrada, Alex Velazquez, Adrian Esquivel, Jennifer Juarez, Analia Rodriguez, Elias "tat" Corral, Simone Alexander, Jose Sanchez, Edgar Leon, Angel Gonzalez, Hector Lopez, Isaac Guzman, Ray Arroyo, Deborah García, Jerry Reyes, Paulina Camacho, Rafael Morales, Vida Sardena, Vicky Cambray, Mario Hernandez, Rich Contreras, Aurelio Rodriguez, Vanessa Sanchez, Matthew Silva, Hananne Hanaffi, Emanuel Ramirez, Alexandro Colunga, Silvia Morales, Salvador “Greedy” Garcia, Alexis “Demo” Ramirez