EVANSTON — Since its beginnings in the schools 27 years ago, the Cinco de Mayo fiesta has become a major part of the community, which has a large Hispanic population. 

Amy Velasquez has almost singlehandedly built the Cinco de Mayo tradition in Evanston, and this Saturday will mark the 17th annual community Cinco de Mayo fiesta. However, she’s been doing it for far longer, having started the tradition in the schools 27 years ago. 

It has grown to include not only Velasquez’s Spanish classes at Evanston Middle School but dancers and musicians from Evanston, Salt Lake City and more. She has been working with her EMS students for five weeks, though, in which time they have learned 15 classes and a song. 

“They’re hard workers,” Velasquez said of her students, adding that she is excited to see them perform.

This year promises to have hours of festivities, running from approximately 1:30-11:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, with activities, music, dancing, games, food, tortilla making, craft vendors, a coloring contest, a 50/50 raffle and more. 

The opening ceremonies will officially open the fiesta at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 6, although the doors will open at 1:30 p.m. and Mariachi Zavala, a Mexican band, will perform from 2-5 p.m. 

At 3:30 p.m., there will be a series of contests with prizes with a piñata break at 4 p.m. Local students — Grupo Folklorico de EMS and To the Pointe Dancers — will give their performances, with the EMS students at 5 p.m. and the dancers at 6 p.m.m 

El Mazo will be at 6:30 p.m., Latin Dance Heritage from Salt Lake City will perform at 7 p.m., and a community dance (featuring DJ Carlos Martinez) will begin at 8 p.m. 

Admission to the fiesta, which is designed to be a family-friendly event (no alcohol) costs $4. All proceeds will go toward Evanston High School scholarships. 

For more information, call (307) 789-6031.