By Erik Hare
Of all the neighborhoods in Saint Paul, the most interesting one of all is gearing up for their big party of the year – Cinco de Mayo.
The District del Sol is well known as the predominantly Mexican part of the West Side. It has mercados, cambinos and restaurantes that offer sights and smells and delicious eats not known in many other neighborhoods. It’s not just a marketing gimmick, but the fabric of a community with a long history.
Immigrants have always arrived to the West Side, lured by affordable housing just across the bridges from Downtown. The first groups were German and Irish, but gradually everyone came to the West Side. The Mexican population of the West Side dates back to the 1920s. By the end of World War II, they had come to be the largest of the many ethnic groups. The institutions, from St. Mark’s Church to Humboldt High to the stores, gradually came to have a distinctly Hispanic flavor.
Like any other ethnic group, the Mexicans had little when they arrived. Poverty and other social issues were met with a strong community spirit that built up as each generation achieved a bigger piece of the American Dream. In the 1980s the Riverview Economic Development Association (REDA) was formed.
REDA operates like a neighborhood sized Chamber of Commerce. They are tireless promoters of
businesses in the district, and use their heritage as both the glue that holds everyone together and a sales pitch. Their efforts are what make the neighborhood not just unique in character, but very much in charge of their own destiny. Each year they put on the Cinco de Mayo celebration.
What will make this celebration so special is it is the 25th annual Cinco de Mayo. It’s a great time to celebrate the faith of the past and the promise of the future. To District del Sol, these are both bound up in the brave immigrant spirit that makes them both unique and strong.
The 2007 Cinco de Mayo Fiesta – Minnesota’s Spiciest Celebration – will take place on Friday, May 4 from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Saturday, May 5 from 9:00 a.m to 5:30 p.m. in the District del Sol on Saint Paul’s West Side, Robert and Cesar Chavez.
Very interesting. Sounds like a fun time.
I work for Wallhogs and we just began making Wallhogs for some realtors to use for their advertising and marketing. Is this something that would work in your industry? You’ve got my email, let me know if this is something that you’d be interested in hearing more about. I can show you some examples and explain anything that needs explaining.
Thanks,
Scott at Wallhogs