Cinco De Mayo In Seattle
Americans love their holidays; we've got a national day of celebration for everything from doughnuts to grilled cheese. We even take liberty with other countries' commemorations, like Cinco de Mayo. We've turned May 5th into a taco-gobbling, tequila-guzzling Mexican Independence Day, even though our South of the Border neighbors found freedom in September.
This year's Cinco celebrations are a three-day affair. Here's the game plan for 72 hours of Seattle fun:
All weekend, the Mobile Food Rodeo is throwing a Cinco de Mayo block party. This food truck festival will feature a 60-truck taco libre showdown with everything from fried fish to gyro meat tucked in tortillas. Luchadors, margarita gardens, mariachi bands, and a dj-dance party make this more than just a food fest. Saturday's party will be in the International District while Sunday's will be held in Fremont. Skip the line with $25 tickets.
On Sunday, local tequila maker Sparkle Donkey hosts a whoop 'em up bar crawl. Beginning at 2 p.m. in Fremont, traipse to the tunes of mariachi bands while rocking your Mexican apparel at Cuatro de Burro. There will even be live donkeys on hand. Hats up, amigos: the first 200 participants score free sombreros.
On Cinco itself, Capitol Hill hotspot Barrio will open at 2 p.m. with a special menu of modern, Mexican bites. Known for their hand-crafted cocktails, Barrio will be pouring Mexcio's official drink, the grapefruit soda and tequila paloma, and a medley of margaritas, including a tasty chili-mango combo.
For dinner, take a break from Mexi-fusion at the authentic La Carta de Oaxaca. In addition to their regular menu of Oaxacan delights, try the traditional, holiday treat, molotes: a fried, corn masa-stuffed dumpling. Their $15 mezcal flight will keep your buzz going.
Wrap up your weekend at Nacho Borracho, Capitol Hill's late-night Tex-Mex dive. Their Cinco deals include $2 Tecates, $7 buckets of Coronitas, and $5 sangritas. Instead of hitting the late-night hot dog carts, order their Sonora Dog: a bacon-wrapped, bean n' cheese whopper to soak up three days of boozing. Ole!