[Southsider2k12]

http://www.michigancityin.com/articles/200.../news/news9.txt

Applications Sought For Entries In First Cinco de Mayo Parade

From Staff Reports

The Michigan City Cinco de Mayo Committee is accepting entries for the first Cinco de Mayo parade on Saturday, May 5, in Washington Park.

“We have many organizations registered already,” chairman Martin Hernandez said. “The MCAS Spanish Club and Councilman Willie Milsap are just two of the entries registered for this new parade.”

Politicians, council members, organizations, neighborhoods, churches and businesses are invited to participate. Registration is available at cincodemayo-michigancity.com or www.emichigancity.com.

The parade is at noon. Afterward, until 6 p.m., food will be available in the park from El Nopal, Colima, La Azteca and LULAC. There also will be an art display and sale, and from 1 to 3 p.m., books and book bags for children will be available through the Literacy Council of LaPorte County.

From 1:30 to 3 p.m., there will be a Mexican hat-decorating event for children hosted by the Lubeznik Center for the Arts, games for children from 2 to 4 p.m. by the LaPorte County Coalition of Youth Serving Agencies and a Mexican hat dance for children, hosted by Michigan City Public Library, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Live music by Araganes is planned from 3 to 6 p.m. in the park. The band will play selections from its new CD, “Besando Bolrrachos"

[Max Main]

This ought to bring out the Know-Nothings!

[Ang]

I'm curious, do they have 4th of July parades in Mexico?

[Max Main]

When I was overseas, we DID have 4th of July celebrations.

What does Ang mean by her question?

[Ang]

Michigan City is staring a new parade to celebrate a holiday from another country. Does that country have parades to celebrate our holidays? That's what I mean. I know Cinco de Mayo has always been a huge party day in MC, lots of bars and restaurants have many events that day, special menus, etc. But now a parade for another country's holiday? So, I'm just wondering, does that country celebrate our holidays?

[Max Main]

I don't know who is sponsoring the parade. Is it the City? Or is it a private group that has a parade permit?

[RexKickass]

Michigan City is staring a new parade to celebrate a holiday from another country. Does that country have parades to celebrate our holidays? That's what I mean. I know Cinco de Mayo has always been a huge party day in MC, lots of bars and restaurants have many events that day, special menus, etc. But now a parade for another country's holiday? So, I'm just wondering, does that country celebrate our holidays?

In Germany they used to have a month long celebration of America in Berlin when I was a kid. Our holidays aren't celebrated in other countries as often because you don't see masses of Americans moving overseas.

[Ang]

In Germany they used to have a month long celebration of America in Berlin when I was a kid. Our holidays aren't celebrated in other countries as often because you don't see masses of Americans moving overseas.

Instead, the masses from overseas are moving here. I don't understand how it can be that Americans are hated so much by other countries, yet people will risk their lives to move here.

[Max Main]

comment: It is the gov't that is hated, or at least, its policies are intensely disliked, very often for good reason. If any of you have traveled overseas, I am sure you can agree that ppl are ok to ppl, but not to the govt.

question: Who is sponsoring the May 5 parade?

[Ang]

comment: It is the gov't that is hated, or at least, its policies are intensely disliked, very often for good reason. If any of you have traveled overseas, I am sure you can agree that ppl are ok to ppl, but not to the govt.

question: Who is sponsoring the May 5 parade?

Actually, I lived in Spain for two years. Americans are detested by the French, Spanish, Italians and many Germans. At least that is how it was 16 years ago when I lived there. I had to quickly learn Spanish (not Mexican either but true Spanish) because no one will help you if you don't at least try to speak it. Americans were thought of as fat and lazy, a country that expects everything handed to them on a silver platter. It was pretty sad actually that that is the Eurpean view of us.

[Jank]

Sponsors of the Cinco de Mayo event are City of Michigan City, Summer Festival Committee, LULAC, Washington Park Zoo and El Nopal Restaurant.

We have Oktoberfest in the first week of October. And the St. Patrick's Day parade in March. It honestly never occured to me that people would be upset about having an opportunity to eat delicious food, have a refreshing drink, listen to awesome music and have activities available for their children...regardless of the sponsor.

We will accept parade entries through Friday at 4:30 p.m. You can download the application form at www.cincodemayo-michigancity.com. Consider the parade a great way to advertise your business - FREE.

[Southsider2k12]

Sponsors of the Cinco de Mayo event are City of Michigan City, Summer Festival Committee, LULAC, Washington Park Zoo and El Nopal Restaurant.

We have Oktoberfest in the first week of October. And the St. Patrick's Day parade in March. It honestly never occured to me that people would be upset about having an opportunity to eat delicious food, have a refreshing drink, listen to awesome music and have activities available for their children...regardless of the sponsor.

We will accept parade entries through Friday at 4:30 p.m. You can download the application form at www.cincodemayo-michigancity.com. Consider the parade a great way to advertise your business - FREE.

Oktoberfest died when Jaycees left.

[Jank]

Oktoberfest died when Jaycees left.

Yes, that's partially true. But Tower, Inc. took over Oktoberfest and ran it for years. Then several years ago, they moved Oktoberfest (which was held on Labor Day weekend) to LaPorte County fairgrounds. It bombed.

But they couldn't come back to MC that weekend, because the Summer Festival Committee had created Labor Dayz festival which is thriving.

Last year, the Summer Festival Committee launced Oktoberfest the first weekend in October. It was wonderful. You should come this year.

[Southsider2k12]

Yes, that's partially true. But Tower, Inc. took over Oktoberfest and ran it for years. Then several years ago, they moved Oktoberfest (which was held on Labor Day weekend) to LaPorte County fairgrounds. It bombed.

But they couldn't come back to MC that weekend, because the Summer Festival Committee had created Labor Dayz festival which is thriving.

Last year, the Summer Festival Committee launced Oktoberfest the first weekend in October. It was wonderful. You should come this year.

Yeah there was something special about Oktoberfest, even when Tower took it over. It was the biggest social event of the year in MC. People you didn't see at all, you saw at Oktoberfest. The crowds were always massive, the food was always great, and everyone had a band they always wanted to go see. I looked forward to seeing Lindsey Alexander every year.

The fest was fine until they left the lakefront. It was a disaster at the Fair Grounds in LP, and being honest here, I went to the Labor Dayz last year, and it was a shell of what the Fest used to be. I am going to be biased when I compare it to Oktoberfest, (because that is what it replaced) but I saw a fraction of the people, food, entertainment, excitement etc. To be honest, I was disappointed. There is nothing I would like to see more than the differences between Tower and the City worked out, and the old fest restored, though it is probably way too late for that, and the bridges seem to be pretty much burned. Its too bad, because that was one of the very cool traditions that was left in City. Little by little too many of those things seem to be going away.

I do hope that the Cinco De Mayo parade/fest is successful and takes as and the new Oktoberfest is successful. I will have to check it out.

[Max Main]

The difference is that the Irish and Germans are well-integrated into American society----------Now. But there was a time when they were not, especially the Irish, and St Paddy's was not acceptable to WASPs. Now it is the turn of the Latins. Because of the, yes, we will say it, prejudice against them, a seemingly good idea like the 5 of Mayo parade etc. will bring out political and social opponents. Oh, well.

We should review the Know Nothings. Any historians out there?

[Southsider2k12]

I went, and sparce was a good word for the whole outfit. There was I think 5 or 6 floats, and 3 of them were candidates, if you include Mayor Oberlie. There wasn't much in the way of crowds either, but for a first time, I can understand it. I think there needs to be a better effort to recruit people next year if they are going to do this again.

Cinco De Mayo: First city celebration draws sparse crowd

By Jason Miller, The News-Dispatch

Gina Tomas celebrates Cinco de Mayo while riding on the Purdue University-North Central Spanish Club's float during Michigan City's Cinco de Mayo Parade Saturday in Washington Park. Photo by Anthony Lambr//The News-Dispatch

City officials wearing sombreros, hanging out of vehicles driving down Lake Shore Drive, and mariachi music welcomed in the first-ever Michigan City Cinco De Mayo party Saturday despite unseasonably chilly temperatures and dark skies at Washington Park.

“It's too bad it isn't warmer,” said Mayor Chuck Oberlie, after disembarking from a golf cart that had led the parade down Lake Shore Drive. “I'm wishing I'd worn a jacket.”

The crowd was sparse at the first-ever event, but the music was loud and the traditional Mexican food could be smelled throughout the park as local restaurants and caterers cooked up flautas, enchiladas and shish-kebabs.

Young baton twirlers and dancers performed inside the park pavilion before giving way to a disc jockey playing loud Mexican music.

Martin Hernandez, president of LULAC, League of United Latin American Citizens - the group that put the festival together - said he was impressed with the early turnout for the festival, despite the cool temperatures and relative obscurity of the new event.

“The parade was better than I thought it would be for the first year, and considering the weather, we've got a nice little turnout,” Hernandez said, dressed head-to-toe in the red, white and green of the Mexican flag.

“I'm pretty happy so far.”

Saturday's event was meant to celebrate the anniversary of the Mexican defeat of the French Army and to give an expanding Hispanic population in Michigan City the chance to honor the day.

According to Oberlie, Hispanics make up around three percent of Michigan City's population and a much higher percentage of the population of LaPorte County as a whole.

Mexicans, Hernandez said, make up a large part of that Hispanic population.

“It's very important to have an event like this, just to let everyone else know what our culture, the Mexican culture, is all about,” he said. “It's a great thing to have for the Mexican population and for the rest of the population.

“It's about being together and being one.”

At-large Michigan City Councilman and event organizer Joe Doyle said he'd like to see the festival become an annual event.

“I think once people get to know about it, it will really take off,” he said. “I think it will grow.”

Contact reporter Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.