Take your pick of Cinco de Mayo celebrations

The Lake County Forest Preserves and College of Lake County will hold celebrations to observe Cinco de Mayo.

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the victory of the Mexicans over the French army at The Battle of Puebla in 1862.

Residents can celebrate Mexico's rich cultural heritage at the seventh annual Cinco de Mayo festival from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Greenbelt Cultural Center near North Chicago.

Highlights will include a musical performance by Grupo Sublyme at 5 p.m. and a clown show by La Payasita Pequitas at 3 p.m.

The event also will feature mariachi music by Francisco "Pancho" Martinez. Traditional dances will be presented by Immaculate Conception of Highland Park Dance Group, Erandi Folkloric Group, Latinos Unidos and Azteca Quetzaltcóatl.

In addition, North Elementary School will perform a play about the story of Benito Juarez and the history of Cinco de Mayo.

Visitors are invited to compete in the jalapeno eating contest and enter to win raffle prizes throughout the day. A variety of children's activities such as face painting, wagon rides, arts and crafts presented by the Girl Scouts of America, games and a moonwalk also will be featured. Mexican food will be available for purchase.

Greenbelt Cultural Center is at 1215 Green Bay Road, North Chicago. Parking is available at the center and at the Greenbelt Forest Preserve parking area on Dugdale Road with shuttle service provided to the event.

For more information, call (847) 968-3477.

Then on Monday, enjoy food and dancing at a Cinco de Mayo celebration from noon to 2 p.m. at the College of Lake County Lakeshore Campus in Waukegan.

The event will be outdoors in the Lakeshore Campus courtyard at the corner of Genesee Street and Madison Avenue.

There will be food, live entertainment by DJ David Olivares and Folkloric Dancers.

The community is invited to this free celebration where they also can learn about the programs and services available at the Lakeshore Campus.

For more information, call the Lakeshore Campus special projects hotline at (847) 543-2194.

Cinco de Mayo is sponsored by the Lakeshore Campus Student Association and the college's student activities office.