Fest season to jump off with Cinco de Mayo

The third annual Cinco de Mayo Festival will be held May 1 to 4 in downtown Elgin.

Along with a carnival by Windy City Amusements, the festival will offer a variety of activities and entertainment for all ages, including live music, food vendors, dance performances, workshops, information booths, children's activities, a parade and more.

On the festival main stage, TMG/M-Rod Catering and La-Locura Entertainment will present a great lineup of live bands and entertainment. Highlights include La Union de Chicago at 9 p.m. Friday; Banda Caliente at 8 p.m. Saturday; and La Luz de Ande at 1:30 p.m., Mariachi Morelos at 4 p.m. and Banda Tariacuri at 5 p.m. Sunday, May 4. Latino Reflejo Dance Group, Ballet Folkorico Huehuecoytl and Grupo Folklorico Quetzal also are scheduled to perform.

Other festival highlights include karaoke and dance competitions, with finalists chosen each day of the festival to compete in the finals on Sunday, May 4; a special Quincinera Pageant for young women ages 15 to 17; and a Little Miss Cinco de Mayo Pageant for girls as old as 12 on Saturday.

The festival and carnival will be in the former Gail Borden Public Library lot on the corner of Kimball Street and Grove Avenue. The hours will be 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, 1 to 11 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 10 p.m. Sunday, May 4.

The Cinco de Mayo parade steps off at noon Saturday, May 3, beginning at Prairie Street and South Grove and ending at Symphony Way and Douglas Avenue.

Windy City Amusements will offer unlimited carnival ride specials from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday for $17 per person per day.

The Cinco de Mayo Festival 2008 is presented by the Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin.

For a complete entertainment schedule and more information on how to participate in the festival or parade, visit www.downtownelgin.org or call (847) 488-1449.