WILLMAR
— The Latino Community Association of Willmar has been working hard all year to make this year’s Cinco de Mayo celebration bigger and better.
The celebration returns to downtown Willmar on Saturday, with celebrations kicking off at 4 p.m. on Fourth Street Southwest. Organizers stressed that the event is about bringing the community together and celebrating its diversity.
“Our (Latino) community is very diverse and we want to share a little bit of our spice with everybody else,” said association member Nuemi Flores.
“One of our main goals is to bring together all the different cultures of Willmar,” added association co-founder Robert Perez.
While the event does not come together without its challenges, organizers praised each other in coming together and using their individual strengths to overcome any barriers they may encounter.
“It’s very nice that we have our own strengths and be able to share that, because you don’t have to be everything,” said Latino Community Association President Jennifer Mendoza.
West Central Tribune file photo
She noted that the organization does not want to take away from other businesses downtown during the event, and has invited them to be part of the festivities. “It’s about community,” she said.
One of the highlights of this year’s festivities is a downtown street dance, featuring live music from Prestigio at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Mendoza made note that Willmar historically does not have street dances.
“Why haven’t we had one?” she asked, noting the smaller communities in the area that have annual street dances. “ … I’m really excited about that. Our band we have playing this year is well-versed in English and Spanish.”
Another new feature this year is mechanical bull riding, according to association co-founder Willie Gonzalez, who noted it will be used as a fundraiser.
There will be more than 10 different food vendors at the event, and other activities include cultural dancers, a variety of contests and a prize drawing and a variety of children’s activities.
Levi Jones / West Central Tribune
Cinco de Mayo is often confused with Mexican Independence Day, which is Sept. 16 and marks the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence that took place from Sept. 16, 1810, through Sept. 27, 1821.
Cinco de Mayo, literally translated as “the fifth of May,” celebrates the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla, which took place on May 5, 1862.
