Mexican Independence Day celebrations kick off Saturday in downtown Chicago for the first time in more than a decade. The fest continues Sunday at Butler Field in Grant Park.

An "El Grito" festival is planned this weekend in Chicago, with thousands expected to attend Mexican Independence Day celebrations in Grant Park, Little Village and beyond. But what exactly does "El Grito" mean?

For the first time in more than a decade, Chicago’s El Grito festival will return to downtown. Organizers said “El Grito” refers to the rallying cry that ignited the Mexican War of Independence, and the festival celebrates that tradition.