IS IN CUSTODY. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO COME FORWARD. >> SARAH JINDRA: MEXICAN FLAGS WAVING THROUGHOUT LITTLE VILLAGE TODAY AS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LINED THE STREETS FOR THE MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE. TODAY. CELEBRATION COMES ONE DAY AHEAD OF THE HOLIDAY AND COINCIDES WITH THE START OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. >> WGN'S ANDREA MEDINA IS LIVE IN LITTLE VILLAGE WITH DETAILS. ANDREA. >> JI SUK YI: ITEM ON IN DAY NIGHT WRAPPED UP ABOUT 2 HOURS AGO AND IN THE LAST 30 MINUTES, PARTS OF 26 STREET HAVE REOPENED TO DRIVERS NEARLY HALF A MILLION PEOPLE. WE'RE HERE CELEBRATING AND TAKING PRIDE IN THE MEXICAN ROOTS. >> IN ONE CHICAGO'S LARGEST MEXICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES. >> MICAH MATERRE: HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS LINE. 26 STREET IN LITTLE VILLAGE TO WATCH THE 53RD ANNUAL MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE. >> IT'S AMAZING THAT WE ALL GET TOGETHER ON THIS SPECIAL DAY MORNING RACE A LITTLE BIT. THEY SAW ALL MY LIFE. SULLIVAN EVERY EVERY YEAR, EVERY TIME. >> THE PARADE IS AN EARLY CELEBRATION OF MEXICO'S FREEDOM FROM SPAIN ON SEPTEMBER 16, 18 TIME IT WAS SEEN AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG FIRST-TIME PARADE GOERS TO LEARN ABOUT THIS HISTORICAL EVENT. THIS IS GOING TO BE A FIRST TIME COMING. >> SO LIKE WANT BRING US BECAUSE SHE WANTS US TO MORE ABOUT OUR CULTURE TODAY. ALSO MARKS THE BEGINNING OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. THEY OPPOSE A LOS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OTHER PEOPLE'S CULTURES LIKE THE FLAG INTO. THERE'S A LOT OF LIKE ISRAELIS HERE THAT'S LIKE 100 PEOPLE IN THE ROLL OUT THE LOWS. AND ALSO WE ALL GOT TO SHARE LOVE. >> JI SUK YI: MANY EXPRESSED OR MEXICAN PRIDE WAVING FLAGS AND DONNING TRADITIONAL OUTFITS. THE PARADE INCLUDED FOLKLORIC DANCERS, FESTIVE FORCES MONDAY ACTUALLY BANS AND DOZENS OF VIBRANT FLOATS. WGN AMONG THEM. >> I EVERYBODY EXPRESSES OUR CULTURE AND MY ISN'T AFRAID TO LIKE EXPRESS WHERE THEY'RE FROM. >> AND JUST LIKE THE GOOD IT'S A CHERISHED TRADITION, DEEPLY VALUED BY CHICAGO WINS WITH MEXICAN. HERE IT DEFENSE LIKE THESE DEFINITELY HELP. >> JI SUK YI: MORE IMMERSED IN THE CULTURE. YOU KNOW, IT'S SO NICE TO SEE EVERYBODY LIKE REPRESENTING. >> AMY RUTLEDGE: WELL, FESTIVITIES HAVE ENDED HERE. THEY CONTINUE AT GRAHAM PARK WITH DAY 2 OF A FESTIVAL. THE MEXICAN CONSULATE IS ALSO HOLDING A SPECIAL CEREMONY THERE TO RING IN