Mexican flags, cultural dances and lots of pride will once again return to the streets of downtown Stockton for the Cinco de Mayo Multicultural Festival Weekend parade on Sunday.
At 12 p.m. on Friday, May 1, the Cinco De Mayo festival will kick off at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, 1658 S. Airport Way in Stockton. Festival hours are from noon to 10 p.m. both Friday and Saturday and 12 to 11 p.m. on Sunday, May 3.
For the past 31 years, the festival has been a community staple and this year it will return for its second year at its new location. It is hosted by El Concilio California, and is advertised as “the Central Valley’s Largest Annual Cinco de Mayo Multicultural 3-Day Weekend Festival.”
“Come be amazed with its bustling Mercado, non-stop music and live entertainment on the Main Stage, plus carnival rides, Ballet Folklórico, free kids activities, and plus over 150 booths for shopping, community resources, and fun with more than 20 vendors featuring foods from around the world!” the El Concilio California website states.
The free event is known as the Central Valley’s “ultimate Cinco de Mayo extravaganza,” according to El Concilio officials.
In 2025, the festival changed locations from the Weber Point Events Center to the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds. This weekend, the festival will feature live entertainment, carnival rides, food and lots of vendors.
Admission to the festival is free all weekend. Parking is $10 for all-day parking.
The Cinco De Mayo parade will also return to downtown Stockton at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 3. It will start at the Weber Institute at Weber Street and will go around the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza and down Center Street, El Concilio California website states.
According to El Concilio California, this is “one of the oldest parades in the nation.” For tickets, visit cinco.elconcilio.org.
To learn more about the Cinco de Mayo Multicultural Festival weekend, visit elconcilio.org.
Record reporter Angelaydet Rocha covers business and community news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at arocha@recordnet.com or on Twitter @AngelaydetRocha. To support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Cinco de Mayo festival brings 3 days of music, food and culture to Stockton
Reporting by Angelaydet Rocha, The Stockton Record / The Record
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