As Cinco de Mayo approaches, El Concilio California is getting a head start with what they say is the largest Cinco de Mayo festival in the Central Valley. In its final day of three, this nonprofit is keeping the tradition going to keep the area's history afloat.
It was a packed house on Sunday at the San Joaquin County fairgrounds for this fiesta, filled with live music, including a mariachi band, more than 150 vendors, more than 30 carnival rides and attractions, all celebrating the Mexican, Hispanic, and Latino heritage. From one of the oldest parades in the country in the morning to this festival, it's been a jam-packed weekend.
Cynthia and Oswaldo Franco, who moved from Mexico almost 25 years ago, brought their 10-year-old daughter, Alexa, to the festival on Sunday.
"My parents, they're Mexican, and they wanted me to come here so I can just enjoy my culture and dance…I love that they always care for me, they're always proud of me," Alexa said.
Alexa wore a traditional Mexican folkloric Sinaloa dress as she performed a traditional dance with Ballet Folklòrico El Mestizaje from Salida.
"I feel so amazing because her father and I came from Mexico," Cynthia said. "We're so proud of her."
It's a tradition for Stocktonians Aldo Perez and Karen Andrade to bring their 8-year-old daughter Aylen to celebrate their Mexican heritage, their flag, and their homeland. Aylen's favorite Mexican food is chilaquiles.
Carmen Padilla is the event organizer for El Concilio California's CEO and said they've been the host for more than three decades - a festival for the community brought to them by the community with a health pavilion, a main stage, and community stage where students get to perform, including Alexa and her dance troupe.
"I really pride myself on our mission that we help anybody of all different, diverse cultures that come in through our doors," Padilla said. "A lot of people think we just help Latinos, but we kind of help everybody. And so this festival is a reflection of that and as one of the nonprofits within Stockton, there's a lot of work to do. So, we understand that we can't do it alone. We work in conjunction with all the other nonprofits within the city to make sure our community and our people have what they need in order to help them through difficult times."
This year, they incorporated the San Joaquin County Historical Museum to show the immigrant history in the Central Valley.
"We thought that that was an important aspect to add this year so that the community, the students, our young people, have a good understanding of all the struggles. The previous generations have gone through to get us to where we're at today and how much more work is still needed," Padilla said.
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