Fox Valley Mall – December 16 and 17
Mark your calendars, the DuPage Hispanic Alliance is hosting the Midwest’s largest artisan Latin American Marketplace. Find authentic, unique and rare items from a variety of countries south of the border. Vendors will be selling everything from hand-crafted clothing, artisan jewelry, bi-lingual literature, mouth-watering pastries and so much more. This is not any artisan market; it is a one-of-a-kind experience that normally requires a passport.
Merchandise
This will be a shopping experience like none other. You will find hand-made handbags by the Wayuu tribe in Colombia, as well as authentic Mexican alebrijes, catrinas and calaveras. Holiday shoppers can browse hand-painted ornaments from Peru and Ecuador, and religious crosses from El Salvador. Bilingual books and alpaca toys from Peru are the perfect gift for any child. Central and South American pastries, candies, Colombian coffee and fine chocolates are unique and thoughtful stocking stuffers. Don’t forget the amazing selection of fine jewelry and art to surprise the person who has everything. This will be a holiday market filled with the best gifts that our local Latin American artisans have to offer.
Click on the button to contact us about vendor or sponsorhip opportunities.
Food and Beverage
Come hungry and you will not be disappointed! You will find everything from tamales, empanadas, Ecuadorian chocolate, Mexican pastries, coffee and assorted candies.
Tapville will also serve their unique version of several holiday Latin American themed drinks starting at 5pm on Saturday and 4pm on Sunday.
Activities
Saturday
Help artist Gloria Contreras of Xicantl paint an 8 foot tall Axolotl Alebrije. This is a free activity, and all paints will be provided. This experience can only be found at the Latin American Marketplace.
Arts on Fire is offering several sugar skull painting classes on Saturday at noon or Sunday at 5:30pm. Have fun painting a clay sugar skull figurine, plate, bowl, spoon rest, or mug.
Selfie Pop has several interactive photo ops experiences complete with fun props to create a unique holiday gift card. This activity is available until 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Tapville will be serving 6 oz pours of 5 traditional Latin American adult beverages. If you would like to sample their version of Coquito, Rompope, warm Sangria, Cantarito, or a holiday Michelada, please come back to this site. Click here to pre-order your drink flight.
Coquito – Puerto Rican eggnog made with coconut milk and cream of coconut.
Rompope – Eggnog like drink made with egg, milk, and vanilla flavor common in Mexico and Central America
Sangria – Wine served with fruit slices.
Cantarito – Fruity paloma like drink made with Tequila. It originated in Jalisco, Mexico.
Michelada – Similar to a Bloody Mary but uses beer instead of vodka.
Along with the taste, there will be tamales, corn, agua frescas, and paletas for sale.
DJ Tito Latino we keep the mood upbeat and Ballet Folklorico Infinity, Luz Elena Brambila Guerrero, and the Dream Dance Studio will provide additional Christmas music and dance performances.
Sunday
Help artist Gloria Contreras of Xicantl paint an 8 foot tall Axolotl Alebrije. This is a free activity, and all paints will be provided. This experience can only be found at the Latin American Marketplace.
This activity gives you three ways to win prizes.
1.) Every hundred dollars you spend throughout the mall between December 1st and 16th gives you one chance to win.
2.) Every canned food item donated to Loaves and Fishes gives you one chance to win.
3.) Any unwrapped toy gives you five changes to win.
All receipts or items for Loaves and Fishes must be brought to the My Perks Lounge (behind Center Stage) between noon and 3pm on Sunday, December 17th to be eligible. Winners will be chosen every hour from 1pm to 4pm.
Below is a list of available prizes:
- The Now Massage $100 gift card
- Kane County Cougars – 4 Reserved Seats ($65 value)
- Granite City gift package – 2 glasses, growler, shirts, and gift card for a growler refill ($60 value)
- 2 Tickets to a Chicago Red Stars Match
- Cooper’s Hawk Lux Wine Tasting for Four ($52 Value)
- White Chocolate Grill $50 gift card
- Meson Sabika $50 gift card
- Chicago Cub’s autographed baseball
- Shinto $30 gift card
- Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano $25 gift card
- Treasures Naperville Toy Store $25 gift card
- Potter’s Place $25 gift card
- Quiubo $25 gift card
- VAI’s Italian Inspired Restaurant Kitchen $25 gift card
- Outback Steakhouse $10 gift card
- Main Event – free play cards
Take your pictures with Supernova, the Chicago Red Stars mascot. He will be at Center Stage on Sunday, December 17th from noon to 1:30pm.
Join us on Sunday, December 17th between noon and 4pm at Center Stage. We will have all type of fun activities for your children.
Visit Pura Vida Talk for an Arts and Crafts Kids Corner featuring “Hispanic Adventures.” Explore 70 pages of Hispanic culture through bilingual coloring activities and crafts. Embark on an enriching adventure in language and culture while coloring. Don’t miss this festive blend of learning and celebration, preserving the richness of Hispanic culture this Christmas season!
Meet children’s author Virginia Martinez and Evelyn Sanchez for a fun story time and book signing. 51st Ward Books will also sell tons of bilingual books for older kids.
Make several different crafts, play traditional games common in Latin America and pick up a coloring pages to entertain the little ones.
Children will also have the opportunities to break piñatas and grab candy.
Selfie Pop has several interactive photo ops experiences complete with fun props to create a unique holiday gift card. This activity is available until 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Loteria is a similar to Bingo but instead of letters and numbers there are pictures and only a 4 by 4 square. It is traditionally played in Mexico.
The Deaf Welcome Center (behind Center Park) will host this game in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language.
This will be held at 5pm.
Arts on Fire is offering several sugar skull painting classes on Saturday at noon or Sunday at 5:30pm. Have fun painting a clay sugar skull figurine, plate, bowl, spoon rest, or mug.
Art Installations
Come see the Alebrijes (brightly colored Mexican folk-art sculptures of mythical creatures) from Gloria Contreras of Xicantl. Gloria has spent year visiting Meixco and learning the craft of cartonaria (making objects from carboard and papier-mâché) from some of the best artist in Mexico.
Gloria started Xicantl in 2021 and has already made a huge splash in Chicago with her colorful Alebrijes and Catrinas. She was featured in the Mexican Independence Day celebration in Cicero, Arts in the Dark Parade in Chicago, and Day of the Dead Festival in both Blue Island and in Homewood. Her work has also been exhibited at the Tamale Hut Gallery, Mexican Cultural Center, 95th Street Library in Naperville, Columbia College and Chicago City Hall. Furthermore, her passion for Mexican culture has made her a keynote speaker at several Chicago area schools.
Sponsors
