Community Corner
Patch Picks: Cinco de Mayo
With Cinco de Mayo later this week, here are some fun ways to celebrate.
As with other popular ethnic holidays, like St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo on May 5 is widely celebrated by all communities.
The day commemorates a pivotal battle that took place in the village of Puebla in 1862. There, the Mexican Army faced improbable odds against the French military, but won the day with the help of the villagers' unified efforts. Cinco de Mayo celebrates freedom, courage and community spirit - values anyone can appreciate.
Here are some local ways to enjoy the day:
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The nearby Milwaukee neighborhood of Bay View will play host to a special “Salsa Crawl.” Held from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., the event allows participants to sample salsas at local establishments. Participants then vote which salsa was best. The evening also features live music, a mariachi band, drink specials, live art and even a sombrero/mustache contest. There’s no charge to participate, so expect a healthy turnout. Participating establishments include Sugar Maple, Café Centraal and Tonic Tavern.
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La Terraza, Oak Creek’s most authentic Mexican restaurant, will be a popular destination Thursday. Open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., it offers reasonable prices, a variety of specialty dishes and an impressive list of margaritas, including peach, lime, melon, coconut and strawberry.
The Caledonia Community Center will host a special Cinco de Mayo session of “Staci’s Cooking with Class” from 6:30-9 p.m. Here, you’ll learn how to make such traditional favorites as sopes topped with pork carnitas, cheese and onion enchiladas with ancho chile sauce, homemade refried beans and tres leches cake. Reservations are required, however, so be sure to click on the link for more info.
Milwaukee's Near South Side
Milwaukee’s Near South Side will no doubt be in a festive mood for Cinco de Mayo. The area is home to popular Mexican establishments like La Perla and La Fuente. Both establishments, which are within a couple blocks of each other, feature outdoor dining, great drink specials and extensive menus. La Perla even offers a shuttle service – which can be reserved on their website – that will pick you up wherever you are. And if you feel like spending the night in with some homemade Mexican dishes, you might want to consider picking up your ingredients at El Rey’s grocery store, near the corner of National and Cesar E. Chavez Drive.
For those who can’t make time to celebrate Cinco de Mayo on Thursday, there will be opportunities to get into the spirit over the weekend. On Saturday, Water Street in downtown Milwaukee will play home to the first-ever Siete Stomp Bar Crawl and Fiesta, starting at 2 p.m. Participants receive a T-shirt, drink specials and free chips and salsa at Water Street’s Qdoba with entrée purchase. Registration is $10 for the first 1,000 people to "attend" on Facebook and $15 after and for day-of registration.
