What you need to know about Willy de Mayo and Spartanburg's Cinco de Mayo celebrations

Samantha Swann, Herald-Journal
·4 min read

Willy de Mayo is back at the Spartanburg and Greenville Willy Taco locations Thursday, May 5 for the first time since 2019.

The festivals will be held in the parking lots of the Spartanburg Willy Taco (930 E. Main St.) and Willy Taco Feed & Seed (217 Laurens Road) from 5-10 p.m. on May 5. Unlike in previous years when the party would be held on the Monday nearest to Cinco de Mayo, this year’s Willy de Mayo will be held during operating hours.

"We haven't been able to do one of these the last few years because of the pandemic, but now cases are lowering, people are vaccinated, and it's a lot safer to have this kind of a social gathering so we decided, let's do it, but let's do it with training wheels," Hub City Hospitality partner Kenneth Cribb said. "Let's have a busy restaurant where folks can have the traditional Willy Taco experience on Cinco de Mayo, but let's have an auxiliary parking lot party at the same time with live music and street tacos and fresh margaritas."

Can't get enough foodie news?: Here's a free newsletter on the Spartanburg restaurant scene

Keith Perkins general manager and beverage director at the bar.
Keith Perkins general manager and beverage director at the bar.

The party will feature face painting, party favors and plenty of live music with J. Stephens and Michael Krell of Howl In The Valley and Wilmington, NC's Blue Footed Boobies performing in Spartanburg. Darby Wilcox and Bobby Likes Cake will perform in Greenville.

The Spartanburg party will be set up on the left side of the restaurant's parking lot and will feature a few seated dining options as well as plenty of standing room in front of the stage. Some parking will be available on site and more will be available across the street at Bell Hill. Crossing guards will be on East Main to direct traffic.

Choice of tacos: grilled flour tortilla, choice of chipotle, pulled chicken or seasoned ground beef, jack cheese, chopped lettuce and more.
Choice of tacos: grilled flour tortilla, choice of chipotle, pulled chicken or seasoned ground beef, jack cheese, chopped lettuce and more.

The outdoor menu was made to move. Diners will have a choice of a street taco with chipotle pulled chicken or seasoned ground beef, cheese lettuce, house crema, pico de gallo and guacamole on a grilled flour tortilla or a walking taco with the same topping choice plus queso in a bag of Doritos or Fritos.

More from the Spartanburg restaurant scene: Celebrate Mother's Day with brunch at these Spartanburg restaurants

"We just wanted to do something that was easy to eat while you're standing outside enjoying some drinks, but also something fun and delicious and kind of something that's a little hip right now," said Culinary Director Tyler Handler.

Tyler Handler, culinary director, left, and Keith Perkins general manager and beverage director prepare for the event. Both are holding the 'Walking Tacos' which are Fritos or Doritos, queso, choice of chicken or beef, lettuce, house crema and more. The drinks are: Super fresh margarita made of tequila blanco, fresh lime, agave, and salt, the other is a blueberry lemonade, tequila blanco, fresh blueberry puree, lemon juice, agave, and lemon sugar rim.

Spartanburg mobile bar cart the.drink.machine will be pouring two Willy Taco margaritas: their Superfresh Margarita with tequila blanco, fresh lime, agave and salt, and their new Blueberry Lemonade Margarita, made with fresh blueberry puree, lemon juice and a lemon-sugar rim.

"I'm a lemonade fanatic, especially any flavored lemonades so we just wanted to kind of stir up the game a little bit," said Beverage Director Keith Perkins of the new margarita. "The Blueberry Lemonade just hit our menu, so it's one of the newer margaritas we're offering. It's already off to a great start and some really great feedback."

Willy de Mayo is back on May 5. Cinco de Mayo falls on that day. Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a commemoration day of Mexican culture and heritage. Willy Taco in Spartanburg will be honoring the day will food and fun. These will be two margaritas on the menu: Super fresh margarita made of tequila blanco, fresh lime, agave, and salt, the other is a blueberry lemonade, tequila blanco, fresh blueberry puree, lemon juice, agave, and lemon sugar rim.

There will also be T-shirts, featuring the restaurant's iconic mural, available for sale as you enter the party. Don't skip the merch table — it's also where you get your drink wristbands.

While there won't be a party at the Boiling Springs location this year, Cribb said he hopes to have one there and at their soon-to-open Simpsonville and Easley locations next year.

There will also be a few other parties to check out for Cinco de Mayo fun:

  • Holliday Brewing (1802 Drayton Road) is hosting a Cinco de Mayo trivia night May 5. Trivia starts at 6:30 p.m. with plenty of fun and Tequila IPAs.

  • Mezcal (143 W. Main St.) will celebrate on May 5 with live music starting at noon and a mariachi band starting at 4 p.m., festivities including drink specials (starting at 11 a.m.) free t-shirts and accessories, and Aztec dancers at 8:30 p.m. and food on Morgan Square.

  • Keg and Cellar (5844 Reidville Rd.) will be having drink specials including 4 Mexican beers and margaritas all day on May 5. Their Cinco de Mayo party with live music will kick off at 6 p.m.

Samantha Swann covers food and restaurants in Spartanburg County. She is a University of South Carolina Upstate and Greenville Technical College alumna. Contact her with your burning restaurant questions, recipes, and new dinner specials at sswann@shj.com or on Instagram at @sameatsspartanburg.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: What you need to know about Spartanburg Cinco de Mayo celebrations