Photo courtesy of Sylvana Avila Alonzo.
The Cinco de Mayo celebrations will look different on West Jefferson Boulevard this year. The annual parade will not return for 2026.
The over 40-year-old tradition will instead include a street festival without a parade for this year’s festivities. This is due to a lack of funding and a deficit from the 2025 celebrations for the Oak Cliff Coalition for the Arts, according to a press release.
“There was only one other time that the parade was canceled and that was due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” OCCA founder Sylvana Avila Alonzo said. “We are celebrating big and moving forward with a fantastic festival. The show must go on.”
Fundraising has already begun to bring back the parade in 2027.
“We are staying positive as we roll with the punches,” West Jefferson Boulevard business owner and founder of the parade LA Ramos said. “We will celebrate with gusto and continue the tradition of celebrating our heritage.”
This year’s street festival will take place May 3 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the 500 and 600 blocks of West Jefferson Boulevard. The free, family-friendly event will include music, DJs, food and drink vendors, arts and craft booths, plus a variety of performances and a promenade to showcase the community.
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Victoria Hernandez is the Oak Cliff editor for Advocate Media. Prior to joining the Advocate, she wrote for Walton Insights, KUAF 91.3 and UARK Student Media. Victoria studied at the University of Arkansas, earning a B.A. in English/Journalism with minors in history and gender studies and a M.A. in Journalism with a Graduate Certificate in African and African American Studies. She can be reached by email at vhernandez@advocatemag.com