City starts Cinco de Mayo Fun Run

PORTALES — Cinco de Mayo is often associated with food, family and fun, but the city of Portales is adding a fourth ‘F’ this year: fitness.

The city’s first Cinco de Mayo Fun Run is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Portales High School track, and participants will take off to the Memorial Building.

Deputy City Clerk Veda Urioste said the run is free and open to students from kindergarten through sixth grade.

Runners needn’t worry about who finishes first. Urioste said everyone will receive a ribbon once they arrive at the finish line.

Also awaiting the participants and anyone hungry for some Cinco de Mayo festivities will be games, dances and food at City Park until noon.

The Ballet Folklorico dance troupe of La Casita Elementary School in Clovis will regale attendees with their particular style, along with Portales-based Dance Studio Extreme, which will perform a series of Cinco de Mayo-themed dances.

Kelsey Prince, the 2017 Miss Portales, will be registering runners, presenting medals at the end of the race and helping with the rest of the festivities.

She said she’s happy to participate in any event that focuses on the community’s children.

“I’m just looking forward to seeing the kids have a good time. It’s all about the kids, and I think it’s just gonna be a great community event for them,” she said.

Urioste added that the whole family will be able to enjoy the event, which she said further dispels the myth that there is nothing to do in Portales.

“Like I say all the time, you hear so much, ‘There’s nothing to do. There’s nothing to do.’ We try to get things set up for people to have something to do,” she said. “We’ll have music, we’ll have games for all the kids. I believe we’re going to be selling tacos inside. There’ll be prizes for the kids. It’s all free. Grab your family and come and join us.”

Information: 575-356-6662