Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at downtown Phoenix festival

Arizona’s largest Cinco de Mayo festival is returning to downtown Phoenix.

Enjoy live music, Lucha libre, baile folklórico, food and drink, and activities for the entire family when gates open at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 5 at Washington Street and 1st Avenue downtown. Get authentic dishes from a collection of Phoenix’s top food trucks and underground kitchens who will be on hand to celebrate the Battle of Puebla and Mexico’s victory of France in 1862.

Celebrating 31 years in downtown Phoenix, the Cinco de Mayo Phoenix Festival is has drawn more than 3 million attendees in its history.

Music headliners include WAR and Big Mountain.

WAR will be on the main stage located on 5th Avenue and Washington playing iconic hits “Low Rider,” “Why Can’t We Be Friends” and more. Big Mountain is best known for their cover of Peter Frampton’s “Baby I Love Your Way,” a Top 10 hit in 1994.

Local band Znora will also perform on the main stage. Znora won the Battle of the Bands and formerly opened for Alice Cooper.

Local bands go on at 12:30 p.m. National bands start at 5:30 p.m.

The festival also raises scholarship money for minority students’ higher education.

“Since 2000, Arvizu Advertising and Grand Canyon University have partnered to raise funds to offer scholarships for Hispanic high school students,” the event website states. “Arvizu Scholarships has raised over $750,000 to provide financial aid to minority students to help them further their education. Arvizu Scholarships is proud to have touched the lives of 520 students.”

Admission is $5 at the gate. Tickets go up to $10 after 5 p.m.

Visit cincophx.com , call 602-279-4669, or email Info@cincophx.com .