Grab some tequila or mezcal because Cinco de Mayo is still happening–this year, it's at home.
The annual event on Cherokee Street attracts more than 40,000 revelers each year with Latin music, colorful dance performances, margaritas, and, of course, spicy tacos and tamales. But when the street festival, now in its 15th year, was canceled on March 17 due to COVID-19, organizers pivoted. The Cherokee Street Community Improvement District, Do314, and the Cherokee Street Cinco de Mayo organizers found a way to take the popular event online: Cinco de Mayo at Home. While you may have to re-create the scent of cilantro or sounds of pork sizzling on an open grill from your own kitchen, Cinco de Mayo at Home promises to bring the popular elements of the street festival right to your living room.
Beginning at noon on May 2 on Facebook, you can stream concerts, culinary videos featuring street food vendors making favorite dishes, and how-tos with local bartenders crafting the perfect margarita. There’s even a parade where you get to be a participant and a spectator. Find the stream live on Cherokee Street, Do314, and Cinco de Mayo STL's Facebook pages.
Planning the event for home just made sense to the organizers. Sarah Berokwitz, general manager of Do314, says that she's noticed producers getting creative in order to translate events from physical to online spaces. “Cinco at Home is a great example of how events can live on even when we aren’t able to be together in person,” she says.
Emily Thenhaus is the executive director of Cherokee Street Community Improvement District. “I think a lot of people were sad when we had to cancel,” she says. “It’s a cultural and community celebration, and it also generates revenue, so we wanted to put together something that keeps that spirit alive when people need it and hopefully provides revenue to people who need it.” You can support the Show Up for Cherokee Street campaign here. Proceeds will support local business owners and employees who are currently out of work.
“Cancelling the street festival was a devastating loss for our community, which looks forward to this day year-round and relies on Cinco de Mayo for much-needed revenue,” says John Joern, lead Cinco de Mayo organizer and co-owner of The Whiskey Ring. “We hope this virtual event will keep some of that energy alive.”
If you’d like to support local restaurants, here are a few spots on Cherokee Street and beyond where you can pick up curbside dishes for your celebration (see also our guide to deals this year):
- El Chico Bakery, 2634 Cherokee
- Diana’s Bakery, 2843 Cherokee
- Lilly’s Panaderia, 2752 Cherokee
- Mission Taco, multiple locations
- Nachomama’s, 9643 Manchester
- Pueblo Solis, 5127 Hampton
- Sueño Latino Restaurant, 2818 Cherokee
- Taqueria El Bronco, 2817 Cherokee
- Taqueria Hectorito, 2753 Cherokee
- La Vallesana, 2801 Cherokee
