Cinco de Mayo is Saturday in Veteran's Park

GREEN FOREST -- The sixth annual Green Forest Cinco de Mayo festival, organized and funded by Tanner Hardware, will be held this Saturday, May 5, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., at the Veteran's Memorial Park on Sixth Street.

Festivities will include games, train rides for the kiddies, exhibits, door prizes, dancing, and pinata parties.

"People should bring their own lawn chairs if possible," said Don McNeely, manager of Tanner Hardware.

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., free food, including fajita-style tacos, donated chicken from Tyson Foods, and hot dogs will be served.

"Also local restaurants will donate chips and salsa, refried beans, and all the fixings," said McNeely.

Food contributors are Las Cazuelas Mexican Restaurante, Mr. Mom's Diner, Tageria Naviclad Mexican Restaurante, Variedades Angelito Mexican Store, Rancho Latino Mexican Store, Plaza Mexico Grocery, and La Favorita grocery and restaurante.

The games are planned to start around 12:30 p.m., and prizes will be awarded to winners. Some of the games include an egg toss, a water balloon toss, an egg-spoon race, and a three-legged race.

"The eggs will be donated by Green Forest Foods," he said.

McNeely has also planned for two bouncy houses for the children, and a kiddie train ride that will circle the event on the walking trail.

Around 4 p.m., the children can join in the fun of a pinata party.

Also, McNeely mentioned that door prizes will be announced throughout the day, and a T-shirt canon, borrowed from Community First Bank, will shoot free T-shirts into the crowd.

"The Green Forest Fire Department will have their safety house that will teach children how to react in the event of a house fire," said McNeely.

Residents are encouraged to join in on the fun, and take part in the festival, which is completely free to the public.

"We would like to see both cultures in Green Forest come out and have a good time," said McNeely.

Business sponsors for the event are First National Bank of Green Forest, Arvest Bank, Community First Bank, Windstream, North Arkansas Job Bank, Music Disc Jockey Arturo Calvillo, Falcon Broadcasting KQMO-FM, Das Butcher Haus, Harp's Market, Smith Funeral Home, Payless Shoes, Auto Zone, Wal-Mart, Hong Kong Inn Chinese Restaurant, Green Forest Foods, Russell Cellular Jade Clark, and Shepherd's Inn Retreat Center.