Downtown Sarasota becomes festival scene for Cinco de Mayo

By Ian Swaby
| 12:15 p.m. May 6, 2024

Emmanuelle Nobert, performer from Karen's Hora Loca dressed in a costume based on "The Mask," and Deirdra Sampson

Sarasota
Neighbors

A section of Main Street in downtown Sarasota beside El Melvin Cocina Mexicana was closed to traffic but still filled with movement as partiers took to the pavement to dance.

“It’s a great party,” said Robyn Karen on May 5.

She was attending the second day of the Cinco de Mayo Block Party held by the restaurant on Saturday and Sunday.

Attendee Elena Herrera said the party, which brought together street food, bars and live music by Bri Rivera Band, drew a young crowd, which meant that there was a chance to witness lots of lively celebrations.

“It’s great to see all kinds of crazy stuff — crazy dance moves, crazy drinks,” she said.

The event was one of two block parties held over the weekend in the downtown Sarasota area, with the other being the Circo de Mayo event at the restaurant Circo.

The Circo de Mayo event, now in its third year, focused on local vendors, bringing in booths from establishments such as its neighbor 99 Bottles Taproom & Bottle Shop.

“We bring in local vendors and we partner with everybody and bring everybody together at the gathering place and have some fun with everybody,” said Joe Guli, owner of Circo.

Emmanuelle Nobert, performer from Karen's Hora Loca dressed in a costume based on "The Mask," and Deirdra Sampson

DJ Daft Gomix (Abe Gomez) provides the atmosphere at Circo.

Ashley Daskalides, 6-month-old Ashton Daskalides, Anna Kwasnik and her dogs Stormy and Brooklyn at El Melvin

Joseph Tober gets into the spirit of Cinco de Mayo at El Melvin.

Jeff Berman, Juliana de Brés-Taylor, Kevin Tucker and April Shereda at El Melvin

Ariya Butler, 4, dances with Savannah Lyddy

Lilliana Williams is invited to dance to the rumba beat by a performer from Karen's Hora Loca dressed in a costume based on "The Mask."

Bri Rivera provides live music at El Melvin.

Former Circo manager Anthony Lopez, Ashley Jacusis and Julia King dance together at Circo.

Christian Zagazeta, Ashtyn Probus, Jake Allison, Maggie Ruvira and Brandi Ebstrom of SRQ.BUTTS at Circo

Paola Sanchez, Francisco Quinonez and Elena Herrera at El Melvin

author

Ian Swaby

Ian Swaby is the Sarasota neighbors writer for the Observer. Ian is a Florida State University graduate of Editing, Writing, and Media and previously worked in the publishing industry in the Cayman Islands.