Food, music, crafts and fun for children mark the annual celebration of the Valley’s Mexican heritage. Hosted by La Luz Center, the Plaza party also raises funds for continuing education scholarships for graduating students at Sonoma Valley High School.
The feast for the senses takes place Sunday, May 2 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Plaza will be filled with spicy aromas of authentic Mexican cooking, the sounds of lively music and the color of traditional dancers. Local schools will sell fruits and crafts, and there will be booths with community information and free face-painting and balloons animals for children.
The colorful Azteca folkloric dancers will perform in the amphitheater at 11 a.m. They will be followed by the 14-member band La Rondalla Patzcuaro, from Sonoma’s Sister City in Mexico, located in the state of Michoacan.
Dollhouse, an Andrews Sisters-type trio of vocalists, plays at 2 p.m. The Robert Ramirez Conga Bobby Band plays at 2:30 p.m., followed by the eclectic Latin sounds of Carlos Herrera. The last band, Plan Be – who is a local favorite, will play Latin influenced jazz starting at 4:15 p.m.
Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Battle of Puebla in Mexico on May 5, 1862, the date which Mexican citizens and soldiers temporarily halted the invasion of French forces. The battle was significant to the Mexican people because, while outnumbered almost two-to-one, the Mexicans defeated a powerful French army led by Napoleon III.
According to La Luz, Cinco de Mayo, a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride, is observed on a much larger scale here in the United States than it is in Mexico. The local fiesta is both an opportunity to celebrate Sonoma’s Mexican ancestry and a fundraiser to provide scholarships to high school graduates who have bettered their lives by becoming English language learners.
All funds raised will go to the La Luz scholarship fund. Last year, $6,500 was awarded to Sonoma Valley High School seniors. Find out more about the scholarship program, and donate, at laluzcenter.org
Sponsors of the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta for Education include Sonoma Valley Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, Infineon Raceway and Sonoma Market. La Luz volunteer John Siler coordinated the event’s entertainment and will serve as stage manager.
