“Everybody brought their picnics and were able to watch the performers. The weather turned out to be wonderful. . .we all got sunburned noses!”Master of Ceremonies for the celebration was Fernando Medina, the SPFRC executive director.The Main Street-based SPFRC gave children special educational/informational books covering an array of subjects and numerous local organizations set up shop to bring awareness to their services.In attendance were Mayor John Procter and City Councilwoman Mary Ann Krause as well as representatives of the Consul de Mexico and Interface Children Family Services.The Jolly Jump shared space along the Railroad Plaza with service organizations ranging from Child Development Resources to the Las Piedras Park Community Policing Building. Among those taking part were the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce, Community Education Project, Santa Paula Memorial Hospital, Familia Sana-Ventura County (Healthy Families) and Heritage Valley ARC.“Cinco de Mayo was really well-attended and everybody enjoyed themselves, which was the best part,” said Trejo. “We want to thank the community for coming. . . it was a great success.”
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Cinco De Mayo celebrated Traditional dancers entertained the crowd during Sunday’s Cinco de Mayo celebration at the new gazebo at Santa Barbara and Mill Streets. The Santa Paula Family Resource Center and the CONVIVIR Program put on the annual event. The free celebration also featured a jumper for the kids, other entertainment, raffles, prizes and information tables from various community organizations. Photo by Brian D. Wilson |
Cinco de Mayo celebration draws crowd
May 07, 2003
Santa Paula News
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula TimesCinco de Mayo drew a thousand people throughout Sunday to the Railroad Plaza Gazebo where a colorful festival celebrated a great Mexican victory of over 100 years ago.The Santa Paula Family Resource Center (SPFRC) again sponsored the annual Cinco de Mayo celebration that featured music, dancing, singing and activities for the families that attended the event.This year, attendees were urged to bring blankets, chairs and picnic lunches to the fiesta, held the day after a strong storm. Although the skies were cloudy on Sunday the sun finally came out and shined for the better part of the afternoon.Cinco de Mayo is named for the 1862 when the outnumbered Mexicans - armed with half-century old rifles and machetes - stunningly overwhelmed French forces, leading to a great victory celebrated to this day. The May 5th Battle of Puebla was the first defeat for the French Army in 50 years, since the Battle of Waterloo in 1812.The Cinco de Mayo celebration featured mariachi musicians and folkloric dancers from the acclaimed Inlakech Cultural Arts Center of Oxnard, songs from the talented Isbell Middle School Chorus, and upcoming stars of dance from the Barbara Webster School’s Folklorico directed by Teresa Trujillo.Intake Assessment Specialist/Office Manager Socorro Trejo of the Santa Paula Family Resource Center said that about 1,000 people visited the event throughout the day.
