Tag Archives: Destin

Florida Cinco de Mayo

Florida’s Best Cinco de Mayo Parties

 

On May 5th most every bar or restaurant that ever poured a shot of tequila or served a burrito will do something for Cinco de Mayo, even if it’s just a drink special. But a select few take this spring fiesta to the next level, with music, costumes, dancing and plenty of south-of-the-border fun. Here are six of the best.

Cinco De Mayo Brickell

At the Mary Brickell Village, thousands gather at what is billed as the state’s largest Cinco de Mayo block party. The action spills over into the streets of downtown Miami, where two stages will host mariachi bands, DJs and dancers. To get into the spirit, some revelers don false mustaches and sombreros to take a swing at a giant eight-foot piñata. There’s plenty of Mexican-themed food and drink, and the party runs well into the night.

Fiesta on the Wharf

Citizens of the Conch Republic seldom miss a chance to celebrate, and Cinco de Mayo is no exception. The taverns along Key West’s Duval street will hang out the red-white-and green flags, but the best place to be is at Schooner Wharf, where things get started a 7 p.m. with life salsa music on the waterfront. It’s a family friendly event, with taco eating competitions a hot pepper eating contest, and prizes for the best Mexican hats.

Cervezas at Sunset

Shove off for an evening of Mexican-themed revelry on the waters of Sarasota Bay with LeBarge. The crew of this double-decker fun boat will be dishing out the guacamole and serving up margaritas and Mexican beers during a special evening cruise on May 5th. Passengers can dance to the live music from the Gumbo Boogie Band, or head to the upper deck for sunset views.

Cinco on the Sand

In the Tampa Bay area, the place to be on May 5th is at the Beach Bar. This waterfront venue sits on a small island on the north of the bay, right off the Courtney Campbell Causeway. The evening features live musical performances from a number of Latin artists, including headliner Frankie Negron. Early arrivals are rewarded with complimentary tequila shooters, and VIP cabanas can be reserved near the stage.

The Big Burrito

Cocoa Beach’s Sandbar Sports Grill is known for throwing epic parties, and their Cinco de Mayo event is one of the best. There are plenty of drink specials to get the crowd ready to compete for cash prizes in the “So You Want to be a Mexican Rock Star” Karaoke Contest. The kitchen will be serving up taco pizzas, and the truly hungry can try sign up for the three- pound burrito-eating contest.

Crawling for Charity

Up in Florida’s panhandle, the Gulf Coast town of Destin will stage their annual Cinco de Mayo Pub Crawl. Participants purchase a ten-dollar pass, with proceeds going to charity, and then begin their journey around the harbor’s boardwalk to check in at six of the town’s favorite watering holes. The crawling starts at 6 p.m. and lasts till midnight.