Cinco de Mayo weekend of music, food, fun

ELGIN --  Not only will this year's Cinco de Mayo Festival be bigger, it also will be a community-driven celebration, organizers said.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association co-sponsors the extravaganza, which will include a carnival, music and food, all organized by a committee of volunteers, said Tonya Hudson, executive director of the DNA.

"Last year, we had the basics. It's just to the max this year," Hudson said, adding the 2008 Cinco de Mayo Festival Committee played a pivotal role in expanding the festival. "They have put their heart and soul into making it a big event."

"Everybody is making it their own," said Jennifer Benson, development coordinator.

Committee members wanted to make the festival all-inclusive for people from all cultures to enjoy, Hudson said.

The festival kicks off Thursday with entertainment, food vendors, dance performances, workshops, information booths, children's activities and a carnival by Windy City Amusements on the Midway.

The parade route has changed for Saturday's Cinco de Mayo parade in Elgin. The parade, which begins at noon, steps off at Spring Street and Highland Avenue, heads north on Spring then west on Symphony Way, continuing to the carnival site at North Grove Avenue and Kimball Street.

A major change this year will be the entertainment stage, which will feature contests, dance groups and performers throughout the four-day event, Hudson said. The entertainment will be presented by TMG/M-Rod Catering and La-Locura Entertainment.

Main stage highlights will include La Union de Chicago performing at 9 p.m. Friday, and Banda Caliente performing at 8 p.m. On Sunday, La Luz de Ande will perform at 1:30 p.m., Mariachi Morelos will perform at 4 p.m., and Banda Tariacuri will perform at 5 p.m. Latino Reflejo Dance Group, Ballet Folklorico Huehuecoytl and Grupo Folklorico Quetzal also are scheduled to perform.

"It's a big diversity of music," said Hudson. "There will be a ton of different things going on."

Cinco de Mayo, or the Fifth of May, "is a date of great importance for the Mexican and Chicano communities. It marks the victory of the Mexican Army over the French at the Battle of Puebla. Although the Mexican army was eventually defeated, the 'Batalla de Puebla' came to represent a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism," according to the Web site latino.sscnet.ucla.edu.

Benson's favorite part of the festival is the Elgin community coming together.

"I like that it's an Elgin event," she said.