CHEROKEE STREET, ST. LOUIS, MO — St. Louis’s annual Cinco de Mayo Festival will take place on Cherokee Street on Saturday May, 4th 2024, 11AM - 8PM.

Organized by Cherokee Street Foundation — the street’s events non-profit organization — the Cinco de Mayo festival will once again take over six blocks of Cherokee Street – from Jefferson Ave. to Nebraska Ave. Attendees can look forward to two music stages featuring an array of musical styles from latin to jazz, local food & beverage vendors, an action packed family fun zone, a mechanical bull, Lucha Libre wrestling and the parade.

“This festival has grown to be one of the largest and most diverse celebrations not only on Cherokee Street but in St. Louis and this year’s Cinco de Mayo festival is slated to be no different,” said Emily Thenhaus, director of Cherokee Street Foundation and the Cherokee Street Community Improvement District.

Cherokee Street Cinco de Mayo Over the Years

Photo by Bailey Elizabeth Rogers
Photo by Bailey Elizabeth Rogers
Photo by Bailey Elizabeth Rogers
Photo by Tyler Small
Photo by Bailey Elizabeth Rogers
Photo by Bailey Elizabeth Rogers

While many elements of the festival will look familiar to those that have attended in years past, attendees can expect a slightly different layout and enhanced safety measures at the 2024 event.

“In preparation for the event, our team has been working closely with the City of St. Louis Office of Special Events and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department to ensure the safety and security of all attendees,” said Sara Levin, Cherokee Street's Events & Special Projects Manager.

CHANGES ATTENDEES CAN EXPECT AT THIS YEAR’S EVENT:

  • 4 GRAND ENTRANCES: To help manage foot traffic flow, the 2024 festival will limit entry to 4 Grand Entrances, at Jefferson Ave. on the east, Nebraska Ave. on the west, and Iowa Ave. on the north and south sides of Cherokee Street. Entrances will include improved wayfinding to help attendees find all their favorite festival attractions.
  • BAG CHECK: Each entrance will feature bag checks to ensure that prohibited items such as weapons, outside alcohol, coolers and speakers are not brought onto the premises.
  • SAME GREAT ATTRACTIONS, DIFFERENT LOCATIONS: To accommodate the changing footprint, some of the festival’s signature attractions will shift locations this year from where they have historically been. For example, Lucha Libre wrestling at this year’s event can be found on Oregon Ave & Cherokee St., instead of Iowa Ave. (See attached map)

The annual festival is a boost for Cherokee Street’s small businesses. “Historically, the Cinco de Mayo festival signified the largest sales day of the year for many of the street’s businesses. It means a lot for our district to be able to bring the event back to the community year after year,” said Thenhaus.

The festival historically features more than 100 small vendor booths lining Cherokee Street. Vendor registration is open through April 5 for any St. Louis business and organization looking to connect with the festival’s tens of thousands of attendees. Find more information at cincodemayostl.com/vendors.

For more information on Cinco de Mayo plans for 2024, see cincodemayostl.com and follow @CincoDeMayoSTL on Instagram and Facebook.