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The Wendover Cinco de Mayo Celebration Committee announced that the popular Salt Lake city dance troop, Latin Dance Heritage will be the featured performers this year
With a cast of dancers native to various Latin American countries, Latin Dance Heritage presents a wide selection of traditional dance styles from a multitude of nations. Bolivian native Orlando Zurita directs the ensemble made up of experienced folkloric dancers who are well known performers of ethnic dance in Utah.
“This whole thing is coming together very well,” said member of the committee Alfonso Orosco. “We have the dancers and three mariachi bands games for the kids and the family. It will be a wonderful event for our town.”
It will also be the first time in over a decade that Cinco de Mayo will not receive any public money.
Faced with the loss of West Wendover City’s financial support the local Latino community will put on the annual Cinco de Mayo fiesta by itself community leader Alfonso Orosco told the city council last month.
“We understand times are hard but this day is special for us,” Orosco told the council. “We don’t want any money but if the city council could provide us technical support for the festival we would appreciate it.”
“We did it before and we can do it again,” Orosco later said. “Before the city took it over we did it with only volunteer support.”
Until this year the city had sponsored the event between $3,000 to $4,000.
“We want to make it a good fun party for everyone,” Orosco said. “Because it will be for families we aren’t going to be selling any beer this time however.”
The public party commemorating the Mexican victory over the French Empire will take place on May 15 this year, ten days after its name suggests.