Durango celebrates Cinco de Mayo

What: The 13th annual Durango Cinco de Mayo celebration  

Where: Santa Rita Park

When: Sat., May 5, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

For the 13th year, Durango will celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a fiesta at Santa Rita Park. The celebration runs Saturday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and will be crammed with events and local entertainers.

“The celebration is for the recognition of the Latino culture and youth and historically to commemorate the prideful victory by the Mexican troops against a French army in the May 5, 1862, Battle of Puebla in Mexico,” said event coordinator DeeDee de Haro-Brown.

The family affair will be complete with ongoing music and dancing by local performers including Mariachi de Durango, Ballet Folklorico of Durango and the dance band Chicanismo. Back by popular demand, a favorite for the local crowd, Ernestine Romero (La Jovencita) also will perform.

Other events include ongoing arts and crafts booths, food booths, piñatas, face painting, children’s activities and games, a silent auction, and jalapeño- and watermelon-eating contests. The event draws to a close with Chicanismo playing a gran baile at 8 p.m. at the American Legion, 878 East Second Ave.

As always Del Alma (Durango Educational Alliance for Multi-Cultural Achievement) sponsors the local event. For more information, call 382-9693.