EAST MOLINE – When thousands gather on the main drag of this eastern Quad Cities community May 3 for the third annual Taco & Margarita Fest, they’ll be celebrating so much more than food and drink.
They’ll also be celebrating the variety of cultures and cuisine from the five key regions of Mexico, and also from other Latin American countries like Guatemala and Columbia.
They’ll be celebrating how indigenous people from Latin America helped found Watertown, an early version of East Moline, as one of the first communities in the Quad Cities.
And they’ll celebrate the progress of East Moline as one of the easternmost Quad Cities that sometimes can be “forgotten,” writes the Mississippi Traveler. Graciela Macias, co-founder of the festival, offers the same observation.
She and co-organizer Patricia Hansen (both of the East Moline Main Street Association) anticipate more than 15,000 attendees this year.
“The first year, we had 5-7,000 people come out,” says Macias. “It was epic for our first year. Our second year, we had between 10,000 and 15,000 people. This year, on our social media page already, we (had almost 11,000) people interested.”
That was in April. The number of people interested has now swelled to almost 13,000. That makes the Taco & Margarita Fest one of the most visible celebrations across two states taking place over Cinco de Mayo weekend.
Altogether, East Moline’s May 3 event features more than 100 vendors, including at least 18 food vendors that include a variety of authentic Hispanic cuisine and also Asian, Italian and more. Vegetarian options will also be available.
Two Des Moines bands will provide entertainment throughout the day.
The Final Mix Show Band (above) performs dance, rhythm and blues, jazz fusion, pop and hip-hop. The band was founded by, and still features, Del “Saxman” Jones, a member of the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame who once toured with James Brown and Tina Turner.
Later in the day, Banda Perla Del Sur (above) brings authentic Mexican big band music, complete with horns.
In addition, the celebration will feature a large kids’ zone that includes a painting contest, and a Quebradita Dance Competition. With a name that means “little break,” quebradita is a form of dance that emerged in tihe 1990s as a combination of traditional Mexican dance moves, African-American influence, and American Western style, writes Hemispheric Institute. It’s known for “athleticism and acrobatics.”
Parking for the free Taco & Margarita Fest can be found throughout nearby East Moline, including in the East Moline Glass parking lot and along 16th and 17th Avenues. The event is one of several events held annually by the Association, originally formed in 1998 to promote businesses in the downtown area.
For more information on the Taco & Margarita Fest, head to the Taco & Margarita Fest Facebook page. You can also learn more about the Fest and the East Moline Main Street Association at emmainstreet.org.
