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BY DAN SPALDING, Times-Union Staff Writer
Entertainment ranging from a Mariachi band to the Macarena filled the air Sunday at Warsaw's second annual Cinco De Mayo Festival at Central Park.
Sunny skies and pleasant temperatures provided a perfect backdrop for the festival that attracted more than 2,000 people, mostly of Hispanic descent.
Sunday's festival was a relief compared to the first Cinco De Mayo festival, held at the Center Lake Pavilion after rain and cold forced the event indoors.
An array of food vendors - twice as many as last year - enjoyed strong business at the nine-hour festival, which began at noon with an inter-denominational church service and concluded with a dance in the plaza after sundown.
One food vendor, operated by Our Lady of Guadelupe Church, Milford, had a line of customers until 6:30 p.m. and began making a profit after 2 p.m.
"It's great. This is a lot bigger than last year," said Manda Vuittonet, who operated the food booth with Annett Gutierrez.
The festival featured continuous entertainment in the plaza, which was surrounded by onlookers.
Highlighting the day's activities was the presentation of the first annual Latino Community Enhancement Award, presented to Frank Perales, the voice behind the Chicano Hour, a radio program airing on WRSW for nearly two dozen years.
Linda Villareal, of Warsaw, was chosen as the Cinco De Mayo queen.
The festival was sponsored by Maple Leaf Farms of Milford, the Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department and a grant from the Indiana Arts Commission.
