Cinco De Mayo Week in Southwest Detroit will celebrate art, culture and local entreprenuers May 1-6

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Cinco De Mayo Week in Southwest Detroit will celebrate art, culture and local entrepreneurs May 1-6

Presented by the West Vernor & Springwells Business Improvement District, the inaugural celebration features dining deals, sales and promotions, special events, contests and prizes

DETROIT - The West Vernor & Springwells Business Improvement District (BID) is kicking off summer with “Cinco de Mayo Week,” beginning Tuesday, May 1 through Sunday, May 6. The week’s festivities feature discounts and promotions by local businesses, special family-friendly events, and contests with prizes that are intended to increase foot traffic in Southwest Detroit while also raising awareness about one of city’s most culturally diverse communities.

“We’re excited to show off the great dining, shopping and cultural happenings in Southwest Detroit during our very first ‘Cinco de Mayo Week’ celebration,” said West Vernor & Springwells BID Board Chair Jason Ghannam. “Our businesses are ready to roll out the red carpet to not only welcome our neighbors, but also encourage new visitors to explore the area and find the many great amenities that make our community shine.”

“Cinco de Mayo Week” is supported by the Southwest Detroit Business Association (SDBA) and its business membership, which includes small businesses located throughout the West Vernor commercial corridor and Mexicantown area. In addition, the SDBA has developed and launched its first mobile app, Savor Southwest Detroit, to promote local business and community events in Southwest Detroit and will kick off with Cinco de Mayo Week festivities. The app is available for Android devices and on the Google Play store, and will be available for iOS products in the near future.

From Tuesday, May 1 through Thursday, May 3, the West Vernor & Springwells BID and SDBA member restaurants will offer special discounts and promotions to customers who mention “Cinco Week in Southwest Detroit” to their server. From a number of traditional Mexican restaurants to Caribbean, Italian and American food offerings, customers can choose from a large variety of dining options. Participation, discounts and promotions will vary.

Beginning Tuesday, May 1 through Sunday, May 6, participants who visit one of 16 selected community murals and art installations and take a selfie, and then post to Instagram, Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag #CincoSWDet, will be entered to win a gift certificate from local businesses. The list includes community murals as well as free-standing art installations that are well-known throughout Southwest Detroit. The contest runs through 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 6, with winners announced on Tuesday, May 8.

On Friday, May 4, “Cinco de Mayo Week” adult participants are encouraged to take the Southwest Detroit “Taco Tour and Bar Crawl,” with bragging rights at stake for participating restaurants. From 6 to 12 p.m., diners who order any variety of tacos from participating restaurants can vote for their favorite of the night by taking a photo of their meal, and posting the photo to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the #CincoSWDet hashtag. The tour also will take participants to a few local bars and clubs for signature drinks, specialty margaritas and imported beers. The restaurant with the most votes will earn the title of “Best Taco in Southwest Detroit” for the inaugural Cinco de Mayo Week event.

On Saturday, May 5, the focus will be on the great savings and deals that can be found while shopping among the hundreds of local merchants, including mercados, bakeries, meat markets, and specialty stores. From freshly made tortillas and specialty cuts of seasoned meats to hand sewn dresses and high-quality, brand-name furniture, the “Shopping Saturday” focus will be on the great shopping options available in Southwest Detroit.

FILE: The 2015 Cinco de Mayo Parade featured 150 unique participants, including Mexican dance troupes, marching bands, traditional and modern musicians, floats, and much more. (Photo by HB Meeks/Tell Us Detroit)

On Sunday, May 6, two family-friendly events will draw thousands of participants to Southwest Detroit. On Sunday, May 6, the Mexican Patriotic Committee of Metro Detroit will host the 54th Annual Cinco de Mayo Parade. The parade will start at 12 p.m. from Patton Park (W. Vernor Hwy and Woodmere St.) and will head east, ending at Clark Park (W. Vernor Hwy & Scotten St.). This year’s parade will be led by the Detroit Police Department Equestrian Squad and the Western International High School ROTC.

More than 50 local organizations and businesses will participate in the parade, including but not limited to: Nonprofits - American GI Forum, Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan, Southwest Solutions, and the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation; Schools - Caesar Chavez Academy, Hope Academy, Southwest Detroit Lighthouse Charter Academy; Local Businesses - La Terraza, La Tienda, La Rosita, State Farm Insurance; Civic Groups - Michigan United and Michigan Spanish Speaking Democrats; Entertainers - Ballet Folklorico Raices Mexicanas de Detroit, La Explosiva, and Lo Mejor.

The parade will be followed by the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta and Mercado at Clark Park presented by Grahams Rainbows Blessing Hands and supported by local businesses, agencies, corporate sponsors and community partners, including the SDBA and the West Vernor & Springswells BID. The event, which will be held from 2 to 6 p.m., includes: live entertainment with special performances by the Center of Music & Performing Arts Southwest (COMPÁS), Ballet Folklórico De Detroit, Mariachi Femenil, DJ Luis, among others.

FILE: The 2015 Cinco de Mayo Parade featured 150 unique participants, including Mexican dance troupes, marching bands, traditional and modern musicians, floats, and much more. (Photo by HB Meeks/Tell Us Detroit)

Family-friendly activities such as a bouncy house and slide, petting zoo, exotic petting zoo, kiddie train, clowns, face-painters and special characters can be found throughout the day. Attendees also will enjoy cotton candy, hot dogs, snow cones, popcorn, nachos, juice, chips and water. All children’s activities and food will be available FREE of charge. A traditional Mercado will be located in the Northwest Pavilion, featuring many local vendors such as Danto Furniture as well as multiple tables of hand-made goods from Latin American artisans.

For a complete list of West Vernor & Springswells BID and SDBA member businesses, the 16 selected murals and art installations, Taco Tour and Bar Crawl details and more information, visit www.swdetroitbid.com. Additional event details can be found at http://swdetroitbid.com/events/. Updates and additional information will be added to the page as available or you can follow SWDetroitBid on Facebook.

About the West Vernor & Springwells Business Improvement District
The West Vernor & Springwells Business Improvement District (BID) was passed by property owners in 2007, making it the first BID in Michigan. The aim of the BID is to use collective resources to improve the commercial district and make it a place where people want to visit and shop. For more information, visit www.swdetroitbid.com.

About the Southwest Detroit Business Association
The Southwest Detroit Business Association (SDBA) fosters innovation, drive and commitment in the Southwest Detroit community. Established in 1957, it supports the community’s vision for a healthy, vibrant neighborhood. SDBA works with local businesses, investors, entrepreneurs, customers and neighbors to develop a place where more and more people are choosing to live, work, shop and play – a place where you find Business Building Community: Community Building Business. For more information, visit www.southwestdetroit.com.