Cinco de Mayo is this week! Here are ways to celebrate in Milwaukee, from a Friday concert in Deer District to a Saturday festival
The day where it's not only acceptable but encouraged to have tacos and margs for breakfast, lunch and dinner is Friday. Good thing Milwaukee has many marvelous Mexican restaurants to patronize on Cinco de Mayo — or any day.
Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican Army's victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, according to History.com. In the United States, the holiday is "widely interpreted" as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage. And Milwaukee is no exception.
Many area businesses and organizations are celebrating with a festival, concerts, food and drink specials, and more. Here's what several have going on:
Cinco de Mayo Festival on Saturday at UMOS: Music, cultural performances, carnival rides, traditional foods and contests, including a chihuahua beauty contest
The annual Cinco de Mayo Festival from El Conquistador Latino Newspaper and the UMOS, INC. nonprofit advocacy organization will feature live music, cultural performances, carnival rides, traditional Mexican foods, an array of contests and "mucho mas," according to the event's Facebook page.
Contests include a chihuahua beauty contest, a pepper eating contest, a hot tamale eating contest and a dance contest.
"Cinco de Mayo celebrates the triumph of the human spirit and what people united can do!" the event page said. "Cinco de Mayo teaches us that despite overwhelming odds, together, we can overcome. Join us as we celebrate the human spirit."
ADDRESS: UMOS corporate office, 2701 S. Chase Ave., Milwaukee
HOURS: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday
MORE INFO: bit.ly/44kIa08
The Beer Garden in Deer District: Concert, authentic Mexican food trucks, ice cream paleteros and frozen margaritas
In addition to live music, The 5co de Mayo Spring Concert at The Beer Garden in Deer District will feature authentic Mexican food trucks, ice cream paleteros and more, the event's Facebook page said. The Beer Garden will be serving up frozen margaritas for $10 and 25-ounce Mango Micheladas cans for $5, according to the Milwaukee Bucks.
There will be performances by Rey Cruz, Erika Ibarra, Grace Jenn, Danisa Music, Mr B and El Villano Musikal "El Rockero Con Flow," the Facebook page said.
ADDRESS: 1133 N. King Drive, Milwaukee
HOURS: 6 to 10 p.m. Friday
MORE INFO: bit.ly/44DliJx
Cinco De Mayo Fiesta restaurant: Eight-hours-long happy hour Friday, other specials all month long
Cinco de Mayo Fiesta restaurant's Cinco de Mayo party features happy hour deals from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, and other specials all month long, according to its Facebook page.
Friday's happy hour specials include $3.50 domestics, $3.75 imports, $4.25 small house margaritas, $4.50 large rail drinks, $5 Cazadores Reposado and Patron Silver shots, and $6 Don Julio Blanco shots.
There are also Cinco de Mayo specials that run throughout May. That includes, from 2 to 4 p.m., ground beef or chicken tacos for $1 each, mini ground beef or chicken chimichangas for $2 each and beer for $2. And, deals on select margs and shots.
ADDRESS: 8412 W. Morgan Ave., Milwaukee
HOURS: On Friday, the restaurant is opening at 10 a.m.
MORE INFO: bit.ly/44npi0l
Blue Bat Kitchen & Tequilaria: Tequila, margarita and food deals, and tequila tastings
Blue Bat Kitchen & Tequilaria is serving up $5 tequila shots, house margaritas and appetizers, $35 pitchers of house margs, and more, according to the event's Facebook page.
There will be complimentary tequila tastings with Nosotros Tequila from 3 to 5 p.m. and Don Julio from 5 to 7 p.m.
Reservations are "highly" encouraged and can be made at bluebatkitchen.com/#reservations.
ADDRESS: 249 N. Water St., Milwaukee
HOURS: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday
MORE INFO: bit.ly/44ctlN7
This Is It!: Setareh Ouellet-Sodi's S.O.S. show, Cinco de Mayo edition
This Is It!'s first Friday of the month host Setareh Ouellet-Sodi, "the Latin fantasy of Milwaukee," will be hosting her S.O.S. drag show on Cinco de Mayo, the bar posted on Facebook. There will be performances by Saadi Fierce, Mariela Duarte, Lady Gia, Daiana and Wesley.
There is no cover. Drink specials include $5 Cazadores Canned Margaritas and $4 silver & gold José Cuervo shots, the post said.
ADDRESS: 418 E. Wells St., Milwaukee
HOURS: Show starts at 10 p.m. Friday. Attendees must be at least 21 years old.
MORE INFO: bit.ly/3LPnSoe
Dia Bom Latin Asian Fusion Restaurant at Crossroads Collective: Special, limited Cinco de Mayo menu
Dia Bom Latin Asian Fusion Restaurant at the Crossroads Collective food hall will offer a special, limited menu for Cinco de Mayo.
The menu will include Mexican street corn in a cup topped with Hot Cheetos; steak, chicken or Birria tacos (three in an order); shrimp ceviche with tostadas on the side; guava or watermelon agua fresca served with chamoy, tajin and boba; and churro rice krispie treats.
ADDRESS: 2238 N. Farwell Ave., Milwaukee
HOURS: The food hall's Friday hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
MORE INFO: bit.ly/3VumDxW
Nō Studios: Performances from DJay Mando and friends
DJay Mando and friends are performing at Nō Studios, the creative arts hub co-founded by Oscar winner John Ridley, on Cinco de Mayo, according to the event's Facebook page.
Mando played his first residency in 2017 at Madison's Liquid while studying marketing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He used his talent as a DJ and his marketing skills to get prime gigs around the Midwest.
Mando has opened for Bad Bunny, Lil Uzi Vert, 21 Savage, Machine Gun Kelly, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, PnB Rock and more. He's also an official NBA host for the Bucks.
Tickets to Friday's event cost $10 for general admission and $8 for Nō Studios members, and are available at bit.ly/3Hw1mOx. Free parking is available in the lot next door, the event page noted.
ADDRESS: 1037 W. McKinley Ave., Milwaukee
HOURS: Doors open at 7 p.m. Friday. Music starts at 8 p.m.
MORE INFO: bit.ly/3Hw1mOx
Twisted Cafe: Deals on select tacos, Cazadores shots, margs and hookahs all day long
Twisted Cafe, an American fusion restaurant, is offering these deals all day on Cinco de Mayo: Steak and chicken tacos for $3 each, Cazadores shots and margaritas for $5 each, and hookahs for $25, according to its Facebook page.
ADDRESS: 1505 N. Farwell Ave., Milwaukee
HOURS: The restaurant's Friday hours are 2 to 10 p.m.
MORE INFO: bit.ly/42o2trQ
Pilot Project Milwaukee: Food specials include a house-made pork belly empanada, and Birria-style braised short rib tacos
Pilot Project Milwaukee, a brewery incubator and restaurant, is serving up these Cinco de Mayo food specials:
House-made pork belly empanada ($16): Featuring chipotle crema, sweet corn pico de gallo, fresh avocado, Chile de arbol oil and a watermelon radish microgreen salad.
Three Birria-style braised short rib tacos ($18): Onions, cilantro, chihuahua cheese and Tolo Noche-infused consomé on corn tortillas. Comes with seasoned Yuca fries. Tolo Noche, from Brewer's Kitchen, is a dark Mexican lager.
Pilot Project, which is based in Chicago, aims to help fledgling brewers get their start in the industry. Its Milwaukee spot is located in the former Milwaukee Brewing Co. space in the Brewery District.
ADDRESS: 1128 N. 9th St., Milwaukee
HOURS: Available Friday through Sunday
MORE INFO: bit.ly/3neQzBE
Lucid Lounge: Music from DJ Mr New York, Corona and tequila specials
Lucid Lounge's Cinco de Mayo celebration will feature music from DJ Mr New York, and Corona and tequila specials, according to the event's Facebook page.
Specials include $5 Corona bottles and Cazadores Tequila shots, and $7 Patron shots.
There's no cover for women, the event page said. VIP tables are available at sevenrooms.com/events/lucidmilwaukee.
ADDRESS: 729 N. Milwaukee St., Milwaukee
HOURS: 10 p.m. Friday to 2:30 a.m. Saturday
MORE INFO: https://bit.ly/3NuKlIy
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Cinco de Mayo Milwaukee 2023: Festival, live music, food, drink deals
