LITTLE VILLAGE — Villapalooza returns to Little Village this Saturday with free music, pop-up art galleries and Lagunitas brews.
The music festival and block party, which was launched by a group of friends and locals in 2011 with just 200 attendees, runs from noon to 10 p.m. along 26th Street near Central Park Avenue. More than 15,000 people are expected to attend.
At the heart of the festival are more than 20 live performances across three stages. Music styles range from punk and psychedelic rock to mambo and ska.
"As sons of immigrants in this country ... we have this diverse taste in music where [we] can rock out to Kanye West or Kendrick Lamar, but then you might also hear us listening to Ramón Ayala, which our parents used to blast the hell out of in the car," said co-founder Dahriian Espinoza, 25.
"This festival allows us ... to reach out to folks like us that want to listen to a salsa band, but also want to listen to this punk-rock band with salsa influence," he said.
Organizers have lined up nearly 50 artists and craft vendors. VillArte is curating a one-day pop-up gallery with work from local artists. And guests can buy beer from Lagunitas Brewery and 5 Rabbit Cerveceria.
A family section will run from noon to 6 p.m. with games, prizes, face painting and chalk drawing.
For more information, visit www.villapalooza.org or the event's Facebook page.
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