Cinco de Mayo Fiesta provides cultural “showcase” on Painesville Square
HOLA Ohio’s fourth Cinco de Mayo event hit Painesville Square on May 2
Published by: The News-Herald
Original article found here
HOLA Ohio’s Cinco de Mayo Fiesta returned to Painesville Square for its fourth year with performances, artistry, health services and more.
The party, held three days before the May 5 holiday, brought Mexican food, vendors and cultural performances to the city’s Veterans Park. Local businesses and organizations also came to provide health and wellness services for community members in attendance.
HOLA Ohio Executive Director Veronica Dahlberg described the party as “a way for the community to showcase who they are in our culture.”
“There’s just a lot that goes into it, but it’s the community participation that is the best part about it,” Dahlberg said later.
Local vendors used the festival to show off their wares.
Hector Lopez was showing off goods from his Mi Patio Artesanias and More business. He sells pottery and other goods from Mexico. His top-selling items are beer mugs with football team logos, while his next-highest sellers are religious items.
“We’ve got stuff for patios, we’ve got more stuff in our other shop. We’ve got flower pots, talavera, all kind of stuff, so this is just part of it,” Lopez said.
He added that he has been in business for five years, though this was his first time at HOLA’s Cinco de Mayo party.
“We started by just bringing little boxes and started selling it in small boxes, and now we bring pallets,” Lopez said. “We’re getting bigger. So, hopefully we get to the point of opening a big shop.”
Mi Patio Artesanias and More can be found on Facebook and Instagram.
Nearby, Alex Montes Creations displayed what representative Bryan Montes described as “a little bit of everything,” including soccer jerseys and hats. The store opened about two years ago and operates on Main Street.
Montes said that the family is originally from Leon in the Mexican state of Guanajuato.
“We bring a little bit from over there, represent here,” he said. “And yeah, we’re just proud American, Mexican-American-held business.” Maricela Daza showed off artistic hats and other decorative items at her Latin Minga table. Based in Akron, she said that this is her second year at the Painesville festival. She has also gone to festivals in Akron, Canton and Youngstown.
Walmart also sent representatives. In addition to operating a display area, they gave a demonstration of making healthy tacos with Painesville City Council President Jim Fodor.
Company representatives said that they were offering vision, blood pressure and blood glucose screenings.
“Diabetes and cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects the Hispanic community, so we’re just coming out here, doing some screenings, make sure that people are getting those numbers checked, and if we can help them out with ways to manage those things, we’re doing that as well,” said Walmart health and wellness market director Adrian Bocciarelli.
Walmart Elyria store coach Luci Rodriguez said that the company also donated to the event.
“We’re happy to be here and we’re excited and we hope we can be here next year again at the next couple events,” Rodriguez said.
Food trucks lined the roadway, offering Mexican tacos and street food, fair food, sweets and more. The Cleveland Clinic mobile mammogram clinic also showed up to the event. “It’s also a way for our community to access free screenings, medical screenings, consultations with medical professionals,” Dahlberg said of the event. “The Mexican consulate is here, they have a new program for detained people.”
The event was also scheduled to include music performances, HOLA’s Folkloric Dancers, pinatas and lucha libre.
Fodor said that the event provides exposure to Painesville. “Sometimes language is a barrier, but food and activities and songs and dance and things like that bring people together,” he said. “And it also exposes you to other cultures and the way they do things, and it’s a nice experience to be able to do that here, in Northeast Ohio. You don’t really have to travel that much to experience a lot in a short period of time.”