This year we celebrate the 34th annual Denver Cinco de Mayo Festival. As in years past the event will take place at the beautiful Civic Center Park, May 6th and 7th from 10 am to 8 pm. The event is free and open to the public. We encourage people to bring their families and enjoy the festivities.
Also take time to appreciate that Denver has one of the largest Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the entire country! The Denver Cinco de Mayo is a time-honored event that began its humble roots on Santa Fe Drive. It started as a way to draw economic development to the commercial corridor, attract businesses and visitors. While the event can’t take full credit it certainly helped get Santa Fe Drive on the map. Santa Fe Drive is after all the State’s first designated art district with deep Latino/a roots.
Event history aside let’s address the countrywide phenomena of celebrating Cinco de Mayo. We’ve heard it before; Cinco de Mayo isn’t celebrated in Mexico so why do we celebrate it at all? Honestly, it’s a tiring argument but I’ll give my reason and commentary. Our Cinco de Mayo’s tag line, as long as I can remember, has always been “Celebrate Culture” and that’s as simple of a reason that I can give.
We are celebrating Mexican culture and heritage and everything that is beautiful about it because we can and should. What better occasion than Cinco de Mayo to get out and celebrate during a time when the seasons change and it’s time to go outdoors again. Get together with family and friends, enjoy the warm sun while relaxing with a cold drink in hand, take in a live Mexican regional band and folklorico dancers, show off your best cumbias moves, check out a meticulously refurbished lowrider, buy some amazing tacos, and just have fun.
Mexican people and their vast contributions are an integral part of the American story. The history of the Cinco de Mayo holiday and the battle of Puebla is incredible and more complex than we give it credit for. I’m not here to give a history lesson, if you don’t know what Cinco de Mayo celebrates Google it there is plenty of information out there. Cinco de Mayo just is and when I hear we shouldn’t celebrate it because they don’t in Mexico, it honestly confuses me. Why should anyone stipulate if, when and how the Mexicano/a, Latino/a, Chicano/a and community at large that want to celebrate the Cinco de Mayo? Why celebrate Cinco de Mayo …why not? Saying they don’t in Mexico is untrue and there’s plenty of reasons to celebrate so let’s not keep asking that tired old question.
This very newspaper, LaVozColorado, has supported the Denver Cinco De Mayo Festival throughout its entire history. The partnership between LaVozColorado and NEWSED Community Development Corporation, the event’s nonprofit producer, has been as consistent as the event itself. LaVozColorado and NEWSED’s collaborations have been extensive. We have supported each other through shared stories and events honoring Latino/a culture and history and will continue that tradition as long as we possibly can. This weekend, get out of your house and “Celebrate Culture” with us. For more information about the Denver Cinco de Mayo Festival visit the website at CincodeMayoDenver.com. We’ll see you there.
Andrea Barela
NEWSED CDC, President/CEO
