Editor’s note: This is a first-person account of the Cinco de Mayo parade, written by UNMC Media Specialist Walter Brooks.
Let’s be clear about something right now. As of May 3, the Cinco de Mayo parade in South Omaha has to be one of the largest parades in Nebraska. A May 4 Omaha World-Herald article stated: “Police officers estimated 20,000 people attended the parade but the people were so concentrated along several of the blocks that attendance [was] beyond estimate.”
 |
From left, Antonia Correa, Ashley Marin, Christopher Cunningham, Linda Cunningham, Aedre’l Olson, Autumn Nared, Samuel Anez, Sherri Nared, Asia Nared, and Che’ K Peak. |
In 1982, I visited New Orleans for the Mardi Gras. At about 3 p.m. on Fat Tuesday the official announcement was made that there were one million people along the Canal Street parade route. Apparently, It’s a big deal each year to see how long it takes to officially declare one million parade watchers. I had press credentials for United Press International and asked permission to stand atop a television news sound truck for a photo. I wanted to see what one million people looked like in a distance visible to the naked eye. It was mind-blowing, to say the least. The mass is uncountable. Police use aerial photographs and some kind of scientific density formula to make the official count.
I mention the Mardi Gras because it’s important to understand that, although the Cinco de Mayo parade route is about a mile from the staging area to the finish line, the heart of the route is actually only a five-block stretch of South 24th Street from M to Q Streets. The concentration of bystanders created a unique demographic for any parade in this state because 99 percent of the people watching the parade stood along those five blocks. I think the Cinco de Mayo had 30,000 people, if not considerably more, stuffed into that little stretch of South 24th Street. It was one humongous mass of people.
 |
Autumn Nared competed in bungee cord distance game. Object was to stretch cord as far as possible and stick velcro baton before being yanked back off your feet. |
With over 140 units in the parade, from a full complement of the great Tangier Shriners (a dozen go-carts, a fire engine, two buses) and bands, marching step groups, the biggest Teamsters Union semi-truck ever allowed in a parade, to blaring musical floats (salsa, mariachi, hip hop, and rock), live dance platforms, and dozens of low-rider customized vehicles, the parade took more than two hours. But, except for occasionally keeping children from rushing too close to the vehicle to catch some candy, the whole thing was way too much fun.
The Cinco de Mayo parade now is as much carnival as parade. There were all kinds of Latino food vendors and bazaar items for sale along the route. The festivities also included a miniature carnival grounds that used mostly soft, inflatable climbing and jumping activities for kids. The carnival was accessible to all but the smallest children, a dollar per ticket, and there was no way anybody’s child could really get hurt.
Members of the NHS/UNMC Employee Diversity Network and UNMC Community Partnership Tobacco Free Nebraska Project joined the parade in a banner covered pick-up truck. The children wore scrub suits on loan courtesy of Shelly Schwedhelm, director of NHS Surgical Services. The kids had a great time throwing candy to the crowds and alternated between being amazed, and sometimes unnerved, at just how many people were there.
 |
Sprawling crowds make the Cinco de Mayo very up front and personal. |
Campus staff in attendance, along with spouses, children and guest kids, included Linda Cunningham, coordinator of Cultural Competence, NHS/UNMC Community and Multicultural Affairs; Che’ K Peak, employee relations associate, UNMC Employee Relations; Antonia Correa, tobacco prevention specialist, NHS/UNMC Community Partnership; and me.
Correa distributed hundreds of Spanish-language anti-tobacco educational materials throughout the parade route. Some of the children she brought are students from Liberty Elementary School, where she conducted anti-tobacco prevention programs.
There is no doubt that this parade has grown to new heights and will necessitate a lot more parade marshals and coordination next year, especially in the staging area and along the main strip, where tens of thousands will be waiting. If you want to celebrate with the greatest concentration of Latino people along the shortest parade strip in Nebraska, consider checking out the Cinco de Mayo parade. It’s only going to get bigger and better.