Story and photos by Rachel Gittleman
Despite the heat, on Saturday, July 20, more than 380 people made their way to the Zócalo plaza for The Resurrection Project’s (TRP) first Mercaditos en El Zócalo. Located between St. Aldabert Church and La Casa Student Housing, the Zócalo was filled with a dozen local vendors, hundreds of participants, food, music, dancing, and fun.
“Our goal,” says TRP Economic Development Programs Coordinator Natalia Rodriguez, “was to bring the Zócalo back to life, and I think we achieved that.”
Mercaditos en El Zócalo was possible thanks to a Kickstarter campaign launched by World Business Chicago, Chicago LISC, and TRP, which met its crowd-funding goals and raised the necessary funds for Mercaditos and other neighborhood programs.
A dozen vendors were present at Mercaditos, selling everything from dresses to churros. Many of the vendors have storefronts, while others are staples at the Pilsen Community Market.
These vendors joined together on Saturday, selling their specialties and bringing some vibrancy to the Zócalo. Vintage Thrift had a large selection of clothing and accessories, while Bearrage offered tasty treats. Don Churro had piles of churros for sale and Patti’s Popcorn sold various types of popcorn, both savory and sweet. La Esperanza Restaurante offered heavier options for lunch, dinner, or the meal in between.
Two vendors, Sayulita Collectibles and Yessica Morfin, were selling their handmade goods in a market for the first time. Yessica, who sold beautiful, handmade jewelry, is an elementary school teacher who is very involved in ElevArte, a local nonprofit community arts organization that uses arts as a means for youth development. Teresa of Sayulita Collectibles, another newcomer to the market scene, sold her original photographs and handmade bags from a small town in Mexico she visits regularly.
Another vendor, Yvolina’s Tamales, known at the Pilsen Community Market as Doña Lina, offered 23 different kinds of tamales, as well as three types of juices. The owner, Marcelina, talked about her dreams of opening a storefront with the help of the Pilsen Community Market and the Greater Pilsen Economic Development Association (GPEDA). Marcelina had a helper with her on Saturday: Kevin, a 13-year-old boy who is working with Marcelina this summer to save money for school supplies for the coming year.
World Gym provided both music and entertainment for the event. They showcased classes, such as Zumba, and allowed anyone to join in. This created a consistent group of people, ages 8 to 80, dancing the afternoon away on the northern portion of the plaza.
Next to the stage area was a table with visiting artists from ElevArte, who helped children of all ages create banderas (flags) and paper butterflies, and also offered face painting.
“The Mercaditos in Pilsen have been a wonderful opportunity for the community to share our love of art, culture, food, and music,” says Rodriguez. “I’ve experienced how the Zócalo continues to unite long-lost friendships and makes way for new friendships to flourish. Everyone has fun no matter the age, and there is something for all to enjoy!”
If you missed this Mercaditos, don’t worry! Another Mercaditos is scheduled for September 14 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Pilsen Zócalo in front of 1818 S. Paulina Street.

Return to Nueva Vida August 2013 here.