Publication select ▼
FERNDALE — Ferndale’s celebration of the Cinco de Mayo holiday is back again this weekend.
The third annual Ferndale Cinco de Mayo Festival will take place Saturday, May 3, and Sunday, May 4, outside Mezcal Mexican Bar and Kitchen on East Nine Mile Road between Woodward Avenue and Bermuda Street.
Mezcal co-owner Sandra Haro wanted to continue the success of the event by bringing back everything people enjoyed from last year, along with a bit more.
“The second year was a great success,” she said. “So, we wanted to do almost the same. We want to bring, of course, more people. We brought a little bit more vendors. We wanted to try every year to make it bigger. Not too much, but as the years go on, a little bit bigger.”
Haro said the positive response from the public has meant a lot to them and keeps her and everyone organizing the event motivated to keep it going.
“Every year, we want to make it better, and especially if we hear the response that they’re good, that they like it,” she said. “We try to do our best for the event to bring new things.”
The hours for the event will be noon to 11 p.m. May 3 and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. May 4. Along with more vendors, the event will bring back its kids area and live entertainment.
Stage performers on May 3 will include Moyocoyani Izel with folkloric ballet at 1 p.m.; Sultanes del Ritmo at 3 p.m.; and Joyas de Mexico with folkloric ballet at 5 p.m.
On May 4, performers will be Mexico Lindo with folkloric ballet at 1 p.m.; Luna at 2:30 p.m.; and Tatyana D’Voce with a Selena tribute at 4:30 p.m.
Returning also this year will be professional wrestlers from Pure Pro Wrestling. The Goodrich-based company will be bringing lucha libre-style wrestling back to the festival.
Promoter Joe Byrd said his organization put on around 50 shows a year, but called the Ferndale-based Cinco de Mayo Festival one of his favorite events.
“The festival has so much to offer for people and the crowd is so welcoming and vibrant and so into the shows that we really enjoy coming back each year and performing,” he said.
Byrd elaborated that festivals can come in all different forms and some might not be that well organized, attended or hospitable, but his experience from last year’s Cinco de Mayo event led him to call it “one of the most professional and fun environments that we’ve done for a festival.”
“The food’s amazing, the music is great and it’s more protected downtown. It’s just a beautiful environment and I personally take joy in watching when the wrestling is going on and just seeing a sea of people wrapped around the ring and seeing the city in the background. It’s just an awesome feeling.”
