Viva Cherokee

Get up early and have a big breakfast, because Cinco de Mayo comes one day early on Cherokee Street this year. The perpetually-growing festival celebrates Hispanic culture and the uniquely funky nature of the neighborhood with a full day of activities from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the blocks centered on Iowa Avenue and Cherokee Cherokee Street. Fifteen bands perform on three different stages; acts include La Alegria Calentana and Expresion Musical on the main stage, and Bunnygrunt, Magic City and Jon Hardy and the Public on the gringo stage. Artists and vendors of handcrafted goods and food are set up in the east block between Iowa and California avenues, and the enchanting People's Joy Parade starts at 1:11 p.m. There's no other procession like the People's Joy Parade; marching bands and people in homemade costumes rub shoulders, art cars and heavily customized bicycles cruise the streets and crepe paper floats and oversize puppets drift through the neighborhood --it's like standing inside a kaleidoscope. Admission to Cinco de Mayo is free, but you'll need money for concessions and to do a little shopping.
Sat., May 4, 2013