Emilly Prado
Emilly Prado is a writer, award-winning journalist and consultant living in Portland. Read More
Portland Cinco de Mayo Fiesta
Enjoy traditional Mexican food, music, crafts and more at this spring celebration.
Emilly Prado
Emilly Prado is a writer, award-winning journalist and consultant living in Portland. Read More
Know Before You Go
The 2020 Cinco de Mayo Fiesta has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta website.
For more than 30 years, the Portland Guadalajara Sister City Association has hosted a Cinco de Mayo Fiesta that has become one of the largest multicultural celebrations in Oregon. Returning in May 2021, the fiesta boasts three full days packed with festivities and culturally immersive programming at Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland. During the event, festival-goers can experience the spirit of Mexico through music, arts, dance and sport.
Portland’s Cinco de Mayo Fiesta began in 1983, the same year that Guadalajara, Mexico, became one of Portland’s nine international sister cities. As a direct result, a strong sense of cultural exchange continues to drive the activities and nonprofit collaborations of the festival.
Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Entertainment
Entertainment options at Portland’s Cinco de Mayo Fiesta abound for all ages and interests, including classic carnival rides (including Portland’s tallest ferris wheel), snacks, traditional Mexican crafts, an artisan village and amateur boxing. The festival’s Plaza de Niños provides a safe, kid-oriented zone with free face painting (for children under 12 years old), arts and crafts (including personal piñatas filled with candy) and a comfortable seating area for parents.
Mexico’s rich musical history has birthed many genres and continues to cultivate new sounds. Accordingly, Portland’s Cinco de Mayo Fiesta organizers have continually and expertly curated acts to reflect this diversity. Mariachi Ciudad de Guadalajara fly in from the state of Jalisco to give several special performances on the festival’s main stage. Joining them is Oregon’s Ballet Folklorico Mexico en la Piel, a local Mexican folk dancing troupe that fills the stage with stomping feet and spinning dresses and costumes (each one unique to a particular region of Mexico).
Amateur boxing matches have been a tradition since 2013, featuring athletes from Rip City Boxing, a local nonprofit that fosters youth through the discipline and accountability of sport.
When you’re ready to find the perfect souvenir from the Cinco de Mayo celebration, head to the festival’s Guadalajara Artisan Village. There, you will discover handcrafted works by dozens of local and international artists and makers, including many who have traveled from Guadalajara and Tonalá, Mexico to showcase their wares.
Food and Drink at the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta
Last but not least, it wouldn’t be a proper Mexican celebration without options for ample feasting! Local and family-owned food and beverage stands line the waterfront during the festival, serving up regional and traditional Mexican dishes, along with pupusas from El Salvador; empanadas and arepas from Venezuela and Colombia; cups of fresh fruit with chili and lime; elotes, chicharrones and freshly-made churros; and tacos filled with tinga, carne asada, al pastor, carnitas, lengua and more.
Beer and tequila drinks are also available for adults, along with horchatas, tejuínos and aguas frescas. And with many options for public transportation, you can feel free to safely indulge.
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