Patch Picks: Cinco de Mayo

Patch Picks highlight editor and reader favorites of great local businesses, destinations, services, organizations, ways to spend a day off, and more. Some of these are in our coverage area, and some are nearby.

Want to suggest a list? Submit your idea in the comment box.

Cinco de Mayo celebrates the unlikely military victory on May 5, 1862, when 4,000 Mexican soldiers defeated an army of 8,000 French and traitor Mexican soldiers at Puebla, Mexico. In the Bay area, it offers an opportunity to celebrate Mexican food and culture.

• Taco Bus -- For authentic Mexican street food, you can’t go wrong with the Taco Bus, a local icon. Open 24 hours at 913 E. Hillsborough Ave. In honor of Cinco de Mayo, three cooks from the Taco Bus will be at Seasons Café at St. Joseph’s Hospital, 3001 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., cooking tacos, burritos, rice and beans, red and green salsa, and veggie toppings for hospital staff and relatives visiting patients.
• 2011 Cinco de Maya Fiesta -- The grounds of the Bay Area Renaissance Festival adjacent to the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), 4801 E. Fowler Ave., host three days of Mexican heritage and fun for the whole family. The event runs May 5 through May 7, from 3pm to 10pm, and features Latin music and dancers, a chili contest and a salsa tasting, glass blowing, Spanish-style fencing, salsa dancing, and more.  Admission is $5, with children ages 11 and younger free.
• Cinco de Mayo Party at Channelside -- Starting at Noon on May 5, Channelside Bay Plaza will host an all-day party to commemorate both Cinco de Mayo and the University of South Florida graduation. Events include live music in the courtyard until 10pm, drink specials, free sombreros, raffle tickets and a Bud Light Lime or Cazadores Cocktail to the first 250 people after 4pm. 615 Channelside Drive.
• Cinco de Mayo at MacDinton’s -- MacDinton’s Irish Pub puts on a south-of-the-border party starting 5pm on May 5 with live music, a jalapeno-eating contest, a Corona bar, specials on tequila shots, and free sombreros to the first 100 people. 405 S. Howard Ave.
• “Viva!” at Kona Grill -- Kona Grill at MetWest International, located across from International Plaza, is hosting a benefit on Cinco de Mayo to benefit the Abilities Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps Floridians with disabilities obtain affordable housing and jobs. The event runs from 6pm to 10pm on May 5 and includes salsa dancers offering free lessons, a DJ, a Conga player, sushi, appetizers, and cocktails. Tickets cost $25 by phone at 813-877-5938 or $30 at the door. 4134 W. Boy Scout Blvd.