Celebrating Hispanic heritage and tradition, the Dallas Cinco de Mayo Parade – presented by the Oak Cliff Coalition for the Arts (OCCA) – is set for Saturday, May 3, from 8 a.m. to noon in Dallas’ Oak Cliff neighborhood. Billed as the biggest and longest-running parade in North Texas, the mile-long procession will take place on historic Jefferson Boulevard, a vibrant hub for Hispanic communities and businesses. Free and open to the public, the annual celebration is funded in part by the Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District alongside other generous sponsors. NBC5 / Telemundo39 is the official media sponsor, providing in-kind promotional sponsorship.
The festivities will commence with the official welcome at 8 a.m. at the Oak Cliff Cultural Center, located at 223 W. Jefferson Blvd. Expect a warm Texas welcome with coffee, pan dulce (pastries) and deejay music.
At 9 a.m. the celebration kicks off with the Parade Step Off Confetti Shoot at the corner of 300 W. Jefferson Blvd. and S. Madison Ave. Local officials and guests of honor will lead the long-anticipated Cinco de Mayo Parade with dozens of colorful floats, decorated vehicles, marching bands, inflatables, dance groups and more, showcasing the spirit and joy of the community along historic Jefferson Boulevard.
A longtime favorite is back! Making a special return appearance is the Selena Movie Car – the iconic "Selena movie car" is a candy-apple red 1969 Chevrolet Impala lowrider featured in the 1997 film about the Tejano singer, Selena Quintanilla-Pérez.
New this year are the popular and trending parade characters – created in the Mojiganga style – that are sure to instill excitement! The giant puppets will be designed to resemble iconic Mexican personalities. Spectators will have a chance to vote for their favorite Mojiganga puppet, with the winning entry receiving a monetary prize.
