After voting early yesterday just after the polling places opened at noon, we headed off to Fiesta Gardens for the last day of the Cinco De Mayo music festival, where we saw again a couple of the people who had voted with us. The weather was perfect.

The dance floor started busy and became busier. This year’s fashion trend for men seemed to be straw stingy-brim hats. I love all the traditional bolero, huapango, polka, redova, valse, and chotis (schottisch) music, with and without vocals. Of the novelties, my favorite was Memphis, Tennessee performed as a very snappy cumbia, which drew loud applause for Mingo Saldivar y sus cuatro espadas. I did not buy a “puro conjunto” T-shirt; I did not eat tripas; I won’t reveal any results from the test-your-strength booth. My favorite photograph shows a full complement of little kids riding in the shiny red tractor-drawn train made from 55-gallon drums, but I can’t find it right now.

The usual politicos and familiar faces were at Fiesta Gardens. Most of the publicity went to Cinco de Mayo events sponsored at Pecan Street Festival and at the Expo Center by two different large radio organizations marketing to new arrivals from the other side of the border. We heard an impassioned speech or two about the need for local outlets broadcasting purely Texas music, puro tejano and puro conjunto. They were preaching to the choir. This is still a favorite Austin event, relaxed and friendly and wonderful for those of all ages.