By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
The Brown Plaza Association held its three-day Cinco de Mayo festivities from Saturday to
Monday, drawing hundreds to the city’s historic Brown Plaza.
The annual holiday commemorates Mexico’s victory in the 1861 Mexican-French war.
Del Rio’s Cinco de Mayo celebrations began on Saturday with the
Plaza during the Cinco de Mayo celebrations on Sunday. Raul said he and Yolanda love to
dance and have been attending events at Brown Plaza for years. Locals and family members
from out of town gathered for the Cinco de Mayo celebrations during the weekend with food,
games and music. (Photo by Louis Zylka)
opening ceremony, which
included the singing of the Mexico national anthem by students from local elementary schools,
including Dr. Fermin Calderon Elementary, Ruben Chavira Elementary, Buena Vista
Elementary, Ceniza Hills Elementary, Dr. Lonnie Green Elementary and students from Laughlin Air Force Base.
The ceremony included crowning Sylvia Owens, Texas Community Bank regional president and
wife of County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr., as 2025’s honorary Señora Cinco de Mayo. The
Grand Marshal, Alonso Martinez, and the parade marshal, Al Cervantes, were also present at
the ceremony.
Dolores Martinez, treasurer of the BPA, talked about the big turnout for this year’s celebrations
and said they had 30 businesses set up vendor stands on Brown Plaza during the three-day
festivities. Food trucks and tents were set up on Cantu Street, Guillen Street and Cisneros
Street, and music was provided throughout the event from talents such as Los Kamaradas Del
Norte, Los de Oro and guitarists from the Casa De La Cultura.
The second day of the Cinco de Mayo celebrations was on Sunday, and it included the Aztec
night parade, which drove along Garza Street and ended on Barron Street.
BPA’s float entry, which was a part of the Fiesta Flambeau Parade in San Antonio, Texas, drove
back to Del Rio Sunday evening to be part of the local night parade. Martinez said
her organization will be informed within the week if the group’s placed in the Flambeau Parade
contest.
Mario Esquivel, president of BPA, said the Cinco de Mayo celebrations, including the crowds
and the parade, get “better every year.”
crowd during the Aztec night parade on Garza Street on Sunday evening. The Brown Plaza
Association (BPA) represented Del Rio at the Fiesta Flambeau Parade in San Antonio, Texas,
and drove back home on Sunday to attend the local parade. Evelyn Dominguez, Miss Val Verde
2024, said the San Antonio crowd was full of energy during the San Antonio parade, which
occurred on Saturday evening. She thanked BPA for inviting her to be part of the float in San
Antonio. (Photo by Louis Zylka)
Monday, during the last day of celebrations, BPA did a giveaway for a hat from
Brown Plaza to the person who traveled the farthest to visit Del Rio. Jose Zertuche traveled
1,700 miles from California and took home the prize. Zertuche said he visited Del Rio to see his
family and said he was having a “good time” at Brown Plaza.
Martinez said BPA was also selling small medals with a design she created and inspired by the
historic Brown Plaza before it was under reconstruction. She said a new design will be made for
next year’s celebrations.
