Here's a look at events celebrating Cinco de Mayo in Amarillo this weekend

For those looking for the most festive way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo locally, here are a few Amarillo events that the whole family can enjoy, from piñata painting and a fajita festival to a cornhole tournament, and a few celebrations beginning as soon as Friday, May 5.

Piñata painting

Kicking off the family friendly celebrations, Create Healing Art Studio will host a Cinco de Mayo Piñata Painting. The event will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the studio, located at 1619 S Kentucky St. #F670.

The studio, a member of the National Organization for Arts in Health, works to to provide healing services to families with trauma through art expression, as well as providing the community with family friendly entertainment options.

According to their website, cost for the Piñata Painting is $20 plus tax per painter. Those wishing to attend are asked to sign up at least 12 hours in advance.

Registration for the painting can be made online at https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=26836604 .

Fajita Festival

The Amarillo Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Cinco de Mayo Fajita Festival, from 6 to 10:30 p.m. Friday. The event will be held at Starlight Ranch Event Center, located at 1415 Sunrise Dr.

According to the organization, attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy all-you-can-eat fajitas, while supplies last, along with music and fun for the whole family.

According to their website, the organization partners with other organizations to host the region’s biggest celebration right here in Amarillo. This event features a variety of activities, including live music and a fajita cook-off contest known as the Fajita Festival.

The fajita cooking competition allows attendees to taste and judge the best of the best. Each team will be provided fajita meat, vegetables, and tortillas for the competition and the community to taste.

Admission is $10 for children 12 and younger $35 for adults. VIP tables are $60 and can only be purchased at the chamber's office. Each table comes with six seats. In order to secure a table, payment must be received prior to May 5. The funds raised during the event benefit the chamber's scholarship intern program and operations.

For more information, including a link to buy tickets, or to register, visit the website online at https://amarillohcc.com/cinco-de-mayo-fajita-festival/.

Cinco de Sinko

For those wanting some competition this Cinco de Mayo, sign up to enjoy a Charity Corn Hole Tournament with The Children's Heart Lane. The Cinco de Sinko Charity Corn Hole Tournament will be held at 6 p.m. Friday at House Divided Restaurant & Sports Grill.

All proceeds raised in the tournament will benefit The Children's Heart Lane, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help families of children with chronic illness who need to receive medical care and treatment outside of the Texas Panhandle. Its Medical Travel Assistance Program helps offset the costs associated with fuel, meals, lodging and hospital parking fees.

Registration starts at 6 p.m. at $80 per two-person team, and $20 for spectators. Tickets also include a Mexican buffet and two drink coupons.

To register, visit them online at https://childrensheartlane.org/cinco-de-sinko/ .

Cinco de Mayo Parade

Beginning Saturday morning at 10 a.m., the festivities will kick off with a Cinco de Mayo parade created by community member Vicente Soto, who has been a part in organizing the annual parade for 15 years.

This year's parade will follow the usual route, beginning at El Alamo Park, traveling west toward Arthur Street, then north on Arthur toward 10th Street. The parade will then turn onto 16th Street and travel south on 16th Street leading back to the park.

According to Soto, the event is free and open for everyone to view and join. There will be no prior registration in the parade, so all are welcome to watch or enter. Candy will be passed out during the parade, so Soto advises parents to be conscious of their children and not allow them to run into the street.

Soto said the parade is a celebration of those in America celebrating their heritage, and he encourages all to join.

"We are humbled and we are honored to have this annual Cinco de Mayo parade honoring the Americans, because Mexico is part of the content of America, that fought against the European invasion of the American continent. ... With this parade, we honor those great men that fought a little bit over 150 years ago," Soto said.

During the event, the 2023 Grand Marshal, Jennifer Gallardo, will be honored. Last year, the parade included more than 100 participating floats. This year, Soto expects to see horses, mariachis, classic cars, companies and many more in the parade.

El Barrio Lions Club

El Barrio Lions Club will host its Cinco de Mayo Celebration on Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m. The event will be held at El Alamo Park, located at 1621 S Houston St. and is free and open to the public.

Previous to the celebration in the park, a parade will be held beginning at 10 a.m.

According to the Lions Club, the event will focus around "community enrichment," offering all in attendance free burgers for lunch, in addition to Amarillo resources where attendees can visit with local business owners as they showcase their products.

Food and water will be available during the celebration, as well as free entertainment.

For more information, follow them on Facebook.