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The Cinco de Mayo Fiesta is a family event that brings together the business and civic community of Sioux Falls, S.D., and the surrounding area to welcome, appreciate and celebrate the Latino cultures among us. While observing this traditional Mexican holiday, Cinco de Mayo in Sioux Falls creates awareness of and develops pride in the diverse Latino cultures that make up our community.
Caminando Juntos, our sponsored Hispanic ministry in Sioux Falls, receives the proceeds of the Fiesta. This is the major fundraiser each year to help support the work they do in the community to welcome and meet the needs of newly-arrived Latino immigrants.
After a two-year pause due to COVID, the Cinco de Mayo festival in Sioux Falls returned with flying colors. The festival drew in roughly 8,000 visitors from all over the area, who came together to celebrate the rich Latino cultures in our area. Authentic music, food, and dancing created a lively and friendly atmosphere at Falls Park, welcoming people of diverse cultures and backgrounds. Highlights of this year’s festival included Mexican folklore dancers, a Guatemalan kite-flying contest, a Chihuahua fashion show, a piñata and kids’ area, and a variety of Hispanic vendors. The day was a huge success!
April Ross, Director of Caminando Juntos
This year, Caminando Juntos is also celebrating 20 years in the Sioux Falls community. They recently expanded into a larger office space on the edge of downtown Sioux Falls, as they continue to see an influx of clients. Many clients have said this new space feels “like home” as they are welcomed into the ministry. In addition to the physical move, they have increased their team to better serve the growing needs. In the last two years, they have hired more staff to help assist in the intake of the high volume they are experiencing each day, including someone to help with the large amount of immigration cases they receive. The ministry can experience up to 50 calls a day for assistance. New life and movement will continue to find its way into Caminando Juntos as it grows for the future needs. April Ross, current director, will be moving to full time education director for the ministry. Education is a passion of hers and the ability to fully focus on this area will be a benefit to those they serve. With April’s move to education director, we are excited to welcome a new executive director who will be joining the ministry in June.
The community is still buzzing with excitement from a successful fiesta and grateful to have had this opportunity to celebrate together. The joy of being together was alive and well. If you wish to view some of the photos from the day, they can be found on the event’s Facebook below.
To view photos Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, please visit the Cinco de Mayo Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CincoFiestaSiouxFalls
