Downtown monthly block parties to resume Friday
May 3—Reading's First Friday downtown block parties will resume Friday with a Cinco de Mayo celebration.
"I am very excited to announce the start of the 2023 season of city events in downtown Reading," Mayor Eddie Moran said Wednesday in an announcement.
Cinco de Mayo commemorates the anniversary of Mexico's victory over France's Second Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.
In the U.S., the holiday has become the celebration of Mexican-American culture.
The block party, 5 p.m. Friday in the 600 block of Penn Street, will kick off a string of block parties scheduled for the first Friday of each month through September.
"This event series provides an opportunity to promote and engage our small businesses and organizations while enjoying a fun and vibrant atmosphere in our own downtown with entertainment, food, and family-friendly activities," the mayor said.
The Cinco de Mayo event will include music by Red Tie Affairs and folk dancing performance by Barrio Alegria's Grupo Uarhani.
There also will be family-focused activities, such as bounce houses, face painting and games.
"This is just the beginning of an exciting season for #DowntownRDG," Moran said.
Additional collaborative events with local businesses and organizations are being planned for the summer, he said.
