By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
City council approved hotel occupancy tax (HOT) funds for the 2025 Diez y Seis de Septiembre
events.
The city council discussed an ordinance at the July 22 council meeting to authorize a HOT
funds grant of $10,000 to be used for advertising the annual Mexican Independence Day
celebrations from Sept. 14 through Sept. 16. The funding allocation is for the Brown Plaza
Association (BPA), a local non-profit group that hosts the annual celebration.
Councilwoman Ernestina “Tina” Martinez made the motion to approve the ordinance, and
Councilman Jesus Lopez Jr. gave the second.
As mentioned in the memo submitted by Assistant City Manager Manuel Chavez, BPA will be
hosting the celebration of Mexico’s independence with a three-day festival at the city’s historic
Brown Plaza. The festival commemorates the initiation of Mexico’s rebellion that took place on
Sept. 16, 1810.
Dolores Martinez, director of events and treasurer of BPA, spoke with The 830 Times and gave
some information on the upcoming Mexican Independence Day celebrations. Martinez said kick-
off events will be on Sept. 7 with the coronation of Miss Diez y Seis de Septiembre.
The three-day festival will begin Sept. 14, and Martinez said a 5k run
will be held before the annual night parade. The theme for this year’s parade will be “El Jardin
de la Independencia” (the Garden of Independence). People can participate in the parade for
free as long as their floats fit the theme of the parade.
Martinez said approximately 9,000 people attended the three-day festival during last year’s Diez
y Seis de Septiembre celebrations. She said BPA wants to invite as many people as possible
this year to meet or beat the organization’s goal of having 12,000 attendees.
