Annual Cinco de Mayo Festival planned on East Lake St. May 6

(All photos of 2017 Cinco de Mayo Festival on Lake St. provided)

On Sun., May 6, noon-8pm, the community is invited to celebrate the Annual Cinco de Mayo Festival on E. Lake St. (between 27th and 29th avenues). This event is hosted by El Nuevo Rodeo, La Raza 95.7 FM & 1400 & 1470 AM, the #1 Spanish Radio in Minnesota, and Telemundo MN, an affiliate of the largest Hispanic TV Network in the US.

During this festivities, the Mexican Community remembers and celebrates The Battle of Puebla on 5 May 1862, near the city of Puebla during the French intervention in Mexico. The battle ended in a victory for the Mexican Army over the occupying French soldiers. Now, this is the most famous Mexican Holiday in the United States.

This year’s Festival is from 12-8pm, but the party continues until the wee hours of the morning inside the installations of El Nuevo Rodeo. There are three stages; two on Lake St. and another one inside El Nuevo Rodeo, where there will be a full menu and live entertainment all day long!

Beer gardens full of Corona and Micheladas and food vendors will be in abundance as we Latinos mark the beginning of outdoor events in Minnesota while honoring the Battle of Puebla in Mexico.

This year there will be Traditional Mexican Presentations of Folkloric Dance, Mariachi, and Aztec Dance, and includes Mexican bands. There will also be tropical and Salsa bands, even Zumba, Karaoke and The Minnesota Twins with games and prizes for kids. And for the first time here, the famous Luchas, a tradition in Mexico, the Luchadores will be performing live!

Other artists and talent at the Festival include: Conjunto Peña Blanca, Banda La Verdadera, Conquista de Tierra Caliente, Mariachi Centenario, Esti y su Mango Pelao, Rafael y sus Joyas, Grupo Arrieros, Linea Norteña, Michael “La Voz de Oro,” Grupo Brandy, Zumba with Kathy Molinet Studio, Ballet Folklórico Mexico Azteca, Danzantes Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli, and Chinelos de San Pablo Apóstol.

Food from various vendors and local restaurants will be for sale. Not only Mexican food, but American and international favorites too, from Town Talk Diner, Addis Ababa Restaurant, and Gandhi Mahal.

All members of the community are invited to this free event to celebrate the culture, community, music, and cuisine.