Downtown Pasco is set to come alive this Saturday, May 2, as the city hosts its 31st annual Cinco de Mayo Parade and Festival, the biggest of its kind in the Tri-Cities area. Organized by the City of Pasco and the Downtown Pasco Authority, the all-day event is free and open to the public.
The celebration starts with a parade at 10 am near Volunteer Park at 1125 N. 4th Ave., featuring floats, music, and dancers. Festivities then continue at Peanuts Park and throughout downtown from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. All events are free of charge, and people are predicting one of the largest turnouts in the event’s history.
New this year is a free shuttle service run by Ben Franklin Transit, running every 20 minutes from three park-and-ride locations — the 22nd Avenue Transit Center, Edgar Brown Memorial Stadium, and the Pasco School District Booth Building — dropping riders off near Peanuts Park. The addition comes in direct response to the community’s biggest recurring concern about the event.
For many, however, the day carries meaning that goes beyond the schedule of performances. Zahra Jaimes, who is marching alongside her church congregation, GNG (God’s New Generation), thinks the parade gives young people something they cannot get anywhere else.
“It brings people together in appreciation of our heritage,” Jaimes said. “Some kids will never travel and see the wonders of Mexico, but in some small part they can see what their culture is about — and maybe it will spark their interest to learn more about their roots.”
Jaimes also considered what the day represents on a broader cultural level.
“The parade is just an American representation of our culture,” Jaimes said. “Even though it is not a real holiday in Mexico, it allows us as Mexicans to show the beauty and splendor of our people.”
Also volunteering through the church is Norberto Jaimes, who is attending the festival for the second year in a row. He said the event’s reach goes well beyond the Latino community.
“It’s a great event for the community to get together,” Norberto Jaimes said.
The afternoon features a marimba performance by McGee Elementary Mustangs, mariachi from Pasco and Chiawana High Schools, Ballet Folklórico by Cielo de Mexico, and a Selena look-alike contest at 2:30 p.m. Among the students taking the stage is Hermione Jaimes, a mariachi performer who sees the festival as a meaningful opportunity.
“Performing is what I’m most looking forward to,” Hermione Jaimes said.
The festival has faced many challenges in recent years, including a two-year pause during the COVID-19 pandemic and budget pressures that condensed what was once a five-day celebration into a single day.
The Cinco de Mayo Parade and Festival is free, family-friendly, and open to all. Show up Saturday and see for yourself why, after 31 years, it is still one of the most beloved events Pasco has to offer.
