Mexican music is only the start at the opening ceremonies (and no this is not the Olympics, although its also entertaining) of Fiesta Cancun all through Cinco De Mayo, to spice up the downtown:
— They are going in to celebrate their opening with a bang, as does any good fiesta, at Fiesta Cancun with a full three days of Cinco De Mayo celebration, culminating on the actual date of the holiday itself, which will be an especially vibrant Sunday Funday observance. So this whole weekend, from Friday to Sunday, you can get great Mexican drink specials (including certain free shots and items you don’t normally see) and prizes, and that does not even mention the fantastic and fully traditional Mexican food in which they specialize that’s authentic in a way you don’t always find. So for this entire weekend, downtown Hudson will come alive (did I mention shots?) and it all starts with of course, Fiesta Cancun, which is redesigned in the former Stonetap and iconic Dibbo’s building. A highlight of that will be ongoing Mariachi music, from 6-9 p.m. Sunday, which has been described by observers as “soulful and foot-tapping,” and will be provided by not one but three musicians during the weekend.
As far as the specifics of drink specials, there are house Margaritas and tap beer at two-for-ones, and el Jimador hand-harvested 100 percent blue agave, and Herradusa tequila (interesting name), pitched at the top of a sidewalk placard that has at its crest Stella Artois, among other lighted signs in the frontscape.
— And now for something completely different … There will be a farm, feral and stray cat benefit at Dick’s Bar and Grill, (so great eats to offer as part of your dinner), on Friday, May 3, capping with a 6:30 p.m. raffle drawing to aid their program of trap/neuter/release, (the wording of all this strikes me, as a novice, to sound a bit complicated).
— At Ziggy’s, what’s old is new. On the far street end of the long downstairs bar, from which street food is served, the music list on the blackboard from Pudge’s days of about 20 craft beers has been kept, and some of those same brews remain. That includes three-fourths of the way down, nutty brown beer, and that is just nutty, in part because of this time of year for spring flings, applicable because the ale’s subtitle points out that theme.
— There are regularly offered $1 mug refills and a specialized special on buffalo wings at Broz in River Falls. But wait, there is more. In conjunction with that, they say you can party at certain weekend times with Super Dave, (is that the same guy who did comedic TV driving stunts back in the day?). Or is it the Dave who is the proprietor at Johnnie’s Bar down the block, where the prices for all kinds of beer are also impossible to beat.
— At Green Mill, where on certain holidays, especially in whipping out the applicable and discounted and often ethnic-based food, is the place to be, you can enjoy Cinco De Mayo specials like the classic margarita for only $4. The aformentioned taco pizza and drink specials (led off by Mexican beers at $3) are available all day. They say they look forward to celebrating with you, since at (Cinco) and all though this venue that is more grill than bar, the years-and-years veteran servers have always known how to throw a party! And following their Sunday food example are Ziggy’s and Pedro del Este, amongst others.
— It’s better than a student’s gift of an apple, and while this is quite applicable during this new growing season, it is not sponsored by Applebee’s, or the PTA. Rather, at Buffalo Wild Wings, teachers and staff get 20 percent off during an appreciation week, starting May 6. Not that Applebee’s does not on occasion have a raft of big specialty drinks available, some of them Cinco De Mayo style, for the lowest conceivable price. (I don’t know about Apple Pucker). But there is the addition of a big, frozen swirl with all kinds of fruits mixed in, just in time for pre-summer.