Ennis gears up for major Cinco de Mayo celebration, boosting local businesses
El Santo Kamaron, a restaurant in Ennis, began as a food truck and has since grown into a brick-and-mortar establishment.
CBS News Texas
The city's annual Cinco de Mayo celebration plays a crucial role in sustaining businesses like El Santo Kamaron during slower months.
"This will actually be our second year for Cinco de Mayo, but because we just opened the lobby this year, I think things will be a little different," said Rosa Reyes, the owner of El Santo Kamaron. "All the events that our town has to offer… all of those events mean a lot because they support small business owners like us."
In Ennis, the Hispanic population is over 47%, and many of those residents are opening businesses. In a sluggish economy, the Ennis Chamber of Commerce said the annual festivals like Cinco de Mayo are crucial for business, most times doubling revenue.
"When you see thousands and thousands of people flood to this community, those people then are around our community, shopping at our boutiques, coming to our bars, our restaurants," said Michelle Coulter, owner of Clyde's Bar Inc. and first vice chair of the Ennis Chamber of Commerce. "And they're out spending their money, and it's great, that's great for the economy."
Drawing these big crowds means making sure organizers are securing a big act. This year, the main act is Latin Grammy Award-winning band Grupo Siggno.
"And that's always the goal to just get bigger bands, to bring more people to the community," Coulter said.
Destination Ennis helps put on the celebration in conjunction with the Ennis Chamber of Commerce. Amelia Valdez, a real estate agent in the area and part of the Destination Ennis team, said these cultural events help those in the community know they are welcome in Ennis.
"Our community doesn't have to walk out their front door and go to Fiesta in San Antonio; they can walk out their front door and come to downtown Ennis and celebrate Cinco de Mayo," Valdez said.
Coulter and Reyes are just thankful for the opportunity and the growth the community is seeing.
"We've been working hard for all of this, and it's kind of like a dream come true for us," Reyes said.
The 2025 Cinco de Mayo festival is on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and free for kids 12 and under. For more information, visit https://www.visitennistexas.com/cinco-de-mayo.
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