From left, Ashley López, 22, and Lizeth Valle, 21, arrive at Grant Park on Sunday for the Sueños Music Festival, despite rainy weather that prompted a delay to the start of Day 2 of the festival.
Andrea Flores/For the Sun-Times
Several hours of storms moving over the region delayed music festivals, sporting events and other outdoor activities in the Chicago area throughout the day Sunday.
The threat of scattered thunderstorms developing over parts of Cook, Will, and Kankakee counties will persist until 10 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. The storms could produce lightning and heavy downpours. A few may become severe, with damaging winds, hail and a slight chance for tornadoes.
Sueños Music Festival in Grant Park was disrupted for the second time Sunday as the park was evacuated about 8 p.m. due to the threat of severe weather, cutting the day’s performances short.
In Chicago, there’s a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10 p.m., meteorologists said.
Several hours of intense morning storms delayed the start of Day 2 of the music festival.
Many of the afternoon sets were canceled but the festival got back on track in the afternoon as the first round of storms ended, including performances by Delilah, Jowell y Randy and Gabito Ballesteros. But Maluma’s evening set was cut short, and headliner Peso Pluma’s performance was canceled due to the second round in the evening.
Earlier Sunday, festival organizers announced the delay over social media, advising attendees to wait until further notice before heading to Grant Park.
UPDATE: You spoke, we listened ✨
We've been working really hard behind the scenes to add back in as many artists to the lineup. Thank you to the artists teams for working with us!
Mil gracias por su paciencia familia, we're ready to make Year 3 legendary ❤️🔥 pic.twitter.com/ku6hVBj981
Fans line up at the festival gate waiting for an announcement about the fate of the rain-delayed Suenos Music Festival on Sunday morning.
Alex Wroblewski/For The Sun-Times
That did not deter diehard fans of the two-day event from showing up despite the rain. A group of fans at the front of the line started chanting “open the door!” at security guards, followed minutes later by an a cappella rendition of “Ella Baila Sola” by Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma.
Lizeth Valle, 21, said she was going to Sueños rain or shine. She’d been getting ready for the festival since 5 a.m. with her friend Ashley Lopez, 21. The two lined up behind the crowd, using their Mexican flag as a shield from more rain.
“In night and in the day, we are still here today,” Lopez said. She had been waiting out in the rain since 9 a.m. to see the old-school reggaetón act of the day: Alexis y Fido. It was one of the acts originally slated to be cut by the delay but was later rescheduled.
After his debut performance at Sueños Music Festival last month, Álvaro Díaz spent a few minutes speaking to La Voz following the years-long delay of the release of his sophomore album “SAYONARA.”
Chicago fans of superstar Peso Pluma are left high and dry, for the third time this year, because of the threat of severe weather. Two other Pluma concerts were canceled in Chicago because of the alleged threat of cartels.
The 30-year-old Colombian star gave an outstanding performance filled with nostalgic hits. Due to the weather, he was the final performer of the festival.
Chino Pacas of Street Mob Records joined Gabito Ballesteros on stage. The Mexican singer-songwriters are rising corrido tumbado artists, blending traditional Mexican ballads with hip-hop elements.
“A cheer for the Latinos!” a high-pitched Jowell called to damp Sueños attendees who waited out the weather. Though the two set expectations high, the remainder of their set was at times hard to follow.
Weather also affected the Maxwell Street Market across town, which closed hours earlier than expected.
The market, which opened for the first time this year at 9 a.m. Sunday along Maxwell Street between Halsted Street and Union Avenue, was shut down by 11 a.m. after an inconsistent drizzle turned into a heavy downpour.
In the evening, O’Hare and Midway airports also experienced some disruptions due to the weather. There were delays of 35 minutes at O’Hare and 22 minutes at Midway by 8:30 p.m. Twenty-five flights were canceled at O’Hare.
Before Sunday’s daytime downpour, guitar music boomed from speakers on West Maxwell and South Union streets as a live band played for a handful of spectators.
Maxwell Street Market vendors were selling plants, bracelets, shoes and other items. Among the vendors was Jawi Opara, who sells vinyl records and self-crafted artwork among other things.
The Maxwell Street Market “is Chicago, it’s the history of Chicago,” said Opara, 72. “It’s a great place to shop, see your friends and meet new people.”
The Randolph Street Market Festival at 1341 W. Randolph St., a weekend antique market ongoing since 2003, remained open Sunday despite the weather. Most vendors were indoors.
The White Sox game against the Baltimore Orioles scheduled for 1:10 p.m. was delayed until about 2:50.
More than 65,000 people from the Chicago area and across the country were expected this holiday weekend at Sueños, making it one of the largest Latin music festivals in the U.S.
Contributing: Violet Miller
Gabito Ballesteros performs at Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Sunday, May 26, 2024.|Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Fans cheer as Gabito Ballesteros performs at Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Sunday, May 26, 2024. |Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Gabito Ballesteros performs at Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Sunday, May 26, 2024. |Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Fans cheer as Gabito Ballesteros performs at Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Sunday, May 26, 2024.|Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Maluma performs at Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Sunday, May 26, 2024.|Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Maluma performs at Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Sunday, May 26, 2024.|Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Maluma performs at Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Sunday, May 26, 2024.|Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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People line up downtown waiting for an announcement from Sueños Music Festival about it possibly being canceled due to inclement weather at Grant Park in Chicago on Sunday, May 26, 2024. |Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Joel A. Muñoz Martínez and Randy Nota Loca of Jowell y Randy perform at Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Sunday, May 26, 2024. |Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Festival goers can grub on jibaritos, a Chicago-Rican staple, from Smash Jibarito, which are $15 at the Sueños Music Festival.|Ambar Colón | Chicago Sun-Times
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Rauw Alejandro performs at the Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Saturday, May 25, 2024. |Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Rauw Alejandro performs at the Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Saturday, May 25, 2024. |Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Sueños festival goers can enjoy Japanese-inspired chicken teriyaki bowls from Kamehachi for $15. |Ambar Colón | Chicago Sun-Times
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Rels B performs at the Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Saturday, May 25, 2024.|Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Rels B performs at the Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Saturday, May 25, 2024.|Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Melba Serrano, owner of Lito’s Taco and Empanada House in Lincoln Park, is dishing out four flavors of Colombian-style empanadas. Attendees can pick from chorizo cheese, chicken and rice, beef and rice and spinach and cheese.|Ambar Colón | Chicago Sun-Times
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks before local artist Sorry Papi performs at the Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Saturday, May 25, 2024. |Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Sorry Papi performs at the Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Saturday, May 25, 2024. |Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Sorry Papi performs at the Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Saturday, May 25, 2024.|Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Global food options at the Sueños Music Festival include tikka masala tacos (two for $11) from Tandoor Char House. |Ambar Colón | Chicago Sun-Times
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Bizarrap performs at the Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Saturday, May 25, 2024. | Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times|” "/Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Young Miko performs at the Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Saturday, May 25, 2024. | Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times|Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Young Miko performs at the Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Saturday, May 25, 2024. | Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times|Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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Xavi performs at the Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Saturday, May 25, 2024.|Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times
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