Cinco De Mayo celebration in Pocatello helps with unity and diversity

Cinco De Mayo is always celebrated May 5, but for some people in Pocatello, the celebration started early on Sunday with a Cinco De Mayo festival at the Pine Ridge Mall.

Mariachi music, Mexican food and tons of raffle prizes made up the celebration.

While Mexico was of course a key culture at the festival, it wasn’t the only one. The Hispanic and Native American cultures share a lot of similarities so both were being celebrated.

Organizers of the event said it’s a great chance for people of all backgrounds to come together.

One of the co-masters of ceremonies, Luis Carrillo, said it’s a great way for people to learn about their neighbors in the community.

“This is an opportunity to let them in and welcome them to a safe environment, if you will, and say ‘hey come learn about our traditions, come learn about us,'” Carrillo said.

Carillo’s co-master of ceremonies, Michael Fernandez, said it’s an opportunity to learn about something not often seen in Pocatello.

“The most important thing about it is we want to bring a cultural side of Pocatello that a lot of people are unfamiliar with,” Fernandez said.

Organizers said this year’s celebration is even more relevant and important because of recent events regarding diversity in Pocatello.

They said coming off the heels of Saturday’s unity rally at Idaho State University is perfect timing. They believe events like the unity rally and Cinco De Mayo are necessary to show the community’s acceptance of different cultures.

“You know we can talk a lot about what we can do but it’s really through actions to put on these events and getting that community support that really says a lot,” Carrillo said. “It’s what makes a difference really.”

“I like seeing the community get together and help everyone because it just shows that we are united and we can help each other no matter what the circumstances are,” said Maria Garcia, a volunteer at the event.

“We just wanted to show the country that here in Idaho we appreciate the differences and the different people that we have here in our community,” Fernandez said.

Local businesses also supported the event by donating some of the food and about $10,000 worth of prizes.