Celebrations for Cinco de Mayo scheduled today during First Fridays in downtown Adrian

ADRIAN — Starting today, the weekend in Adrian will be all about Cinco de Mayo festivities.

The city of Adrian’s monthly First Fridays is today with the theme of Cinco de Mayo, which is recognized annually on May 5. The holiday celebrates the Mexican army’s victory over France May 5, 1862, at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War.

Brenda Rodriguez’s Little Taste of Texas at 104 Toledo St. is the May sponsor for First Fridays, according to a news release from the city of Adrian. This month is also ushering in the return of the Adrian Cruise-In Car Show for the summer schedule. The car show is sponsored by Nova’s Soda Pop Candy Shop, 105 E. Church St.

Each First Fridays encourages guests to shop locally and support small businesses. Several downtown Adrian shops, stores, restaurants and boutiques will have sales and discounts.

Downtown streets will be closed to traffic starting at 2:30 p.m. today. Streets are expected to reopen to motorists at approximately 11 p.m., the city said in the release. East Maumee Street, between North Broad and North Winter streets, and North Main Street, between East Church and East Front streets, will be closed.

Weather permitting, bands and musicians are to take to the streets and perform live outside:.

• The Metros Band with Gordy Sharpe will perform from 6 to 8 p.m. at the corner of South Main and East Church streets.

• Los Hermanos Villegas will be on West Maumee Street from 7 to 10 p.m.

• Blockhouse Valley will perform from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. inside Mammoth Distilling, 108 E. Maumee St.

• DJ STE will be live from 7 p.m. to midnight inside the Brick Wall Pub & Grub, 114 W. Maumee St.

• The Native Heart and Noah Martis will be inside Farver’s at the Croswell, 129 E. Maumee St., from 7 to 10 p.m.

• Club 109, 109 S. Main St. will have karaoke and free pool starting at 9 p.m.

• People who are of legal drinking age are welcome to utilize the Adrian Downtown Adrian Refreshment Area (DARA) social district, which is now open until 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Adults within the DARA district are able to enjoy alcoholic beverages, in a specially marked cup, while they walk around downtown.

Students from Adrian Public Schools’ Prairie Elementary School will line East Maumee Street from 5 to 6 p.m. as they host a living wax museum, which is open for the community to view and check out.

More than 20 businesses and storefronts within downtown Adrian have shared their First Fridays specials with the city:

• Good Life Tattoo Co., 127 S. Main St., will welcome walk-in tattoo appointments, host a special secret guest, have snacks and drinks, and provide temporary tattoos for kids.

• Farver’s at the Croswell, in addition to its live music from 7 to 10 p.m., will have $6 Cinco de Mayo margaritas and half off all Salsa Bliss snacks.

• First Presbyterian Church of Adrian, 156 E. Maumee St., will conduct children’s games and hand out free snow cones.

• Passion 4 Fashion Boutique, 143 N. Main St., has several specials for today including 15% off the entire store, excluding Brighton products. Stop by and meet local author Jackie Freeman who will be signing her book “I’m Okay, Momma.” For more information about Freeman, visit her Facebook and Instagram social media pages. “I’m Okay, Momma” looks at the relationship between moms and daughters.

• Grata Domum Realty, 128 S. Main, will have free and festive Cinco de Mayo kids crafts and Mexican candy.

• Stop by The Wagley Group, 121 N. Main St., and spin the wheel for the chance to win a variety of prizes.

• Musgrove and Co., 110 W. Maumee, invites customers to try its strawberry-coffee margarita, which is a collaborative beverage between Chaloner's Cigar House and Musgrove. Today is also “Refill Friday,” featuring Blossom & Co. inside the coffee shop. Blossom & Co. specializes in refillable household products.

• At Peace Massage and Wellness, 136 E. Maumee, inside the Gallery of Shops will have its new, infrared sauna room open for tours. People are invited to spin the prize wheel for a chance to get discounts or upgrades on services or even free infrared sauna sessions. People can prepay for their first infrared sauna session for $20.

• Pat Cooper Studios, in the Joe Ann Steele Financial Center, will have free, handmade bookmarks and local art for sale.

• Hilltop Counseling, 115 W. Maumee St., will host The M Society where people are invited to stop by and learn about the local organization.

• Downtown Dempsey's Good Eats & Sweet Treats, 136 E. Maumee, inside the Gallery of Shops, will have 20% off taco pizzas, margaritas and chocolate-chili cake balls.

• The Buzz Café and Marketplace, 110 E. Maumee St., is promoting “Love Local” where customers can receive 10% off their total purchase price with proof of purchase from another downtown Adrian business. The Buzz will also have 16-ounce Buzz lemonade on special for $3.

• A swiss steak dinner, open to the public, will be served at the Adrian Moose Family Center and Lodge No. 1034, 111 S. Main St.

• Mammoth Distilling, in addition to hosting live music, will have 20% off all cocktails and spirits.

• Polished, inside The Gallery of Shops, 136 E. Maumee St., will host games of “Walking Mexican” bingo in the hallway. Winners will receive a bag full of candy and a chance to sign up for the grand prize drawing as well as a chance to win a free taco pizza and Mexican candy.

• Nova’s will host a Hot Wheels race at 7 p.m. It will also have free popcorn and music with The Metros at 6 p.m.

• Chaloner's Cigar House, 108 W. Maumee St., will have a creamy coconut margarita for $9, a house margarita for $8, and Don Julio tequila specials from 7 to 9 p.m. including a Don Julio margarita for $9 and Don Julio shots for $7. Chaloner & Co., meanwhile, is featuring 20% off all Lenny and Larry’s cookies, and customers who buy any three cigars can receive one select cigar for free, courtesy of its vendors and while supplies last.

• Nutrition 365, 110 N. Main St., will be open until 7 p.m. and will recognize Customer Day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with 10% of all proceeds supporting this year's Special Olympics spring games at Siena Heights University. First Fridays Fun from 5 to 7 p.m. will include $1 off watermelon TEAquilas.

• In addition to hosting DJ STE, the Brick Wall Pub & Grub will have a beef stew dinner special, ready-to-go sloppy joes, and both house and strawberry margaritas on special.

• The Marks Trading Co., 220 N. Main St., has a sale on all spices, dips and nuts, which will be 15% off. Samples of dips and tea will also be available.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo today during First Fridays in downtown Adrian