10 Places To Celebrate Cinco de Mayo In Bradenton

Editor's note: Tim McCann's Bar Tab column normally appears each Thursday on Patch, but we moved it up a day to help you plan your Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Get ready for Corona, margaritas and Mexican food!

There are certainly no shortages of specials on drinks and food from south of the border this Thursday in Bradenton as local bars and grills celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Like St. Patrick’s Day, it’s a sure bet that most every bar in town has something special planned for May 5. We’ll tell you about 10 of them ...

1. The Old Main Street Merchants Association is hosting its first ever Downtown Cinco de Mayo Celebration from 5-10 p.m. This is a Get Down Downtown-styled event with live music from Shaman band, a Mexican pizza eating contest sponsored by Hungry Howie’s of Palmetto, a frozen T-shirt contest, bobbing for jalapeños and drink specials from major sponsor Corona. After the party, stick around Old Main Street for drink specials and music in the local bars: , 427 Old Main St.; , 425 Old Main St.; , 406 Old Main St.; , 313 Old Main St.; and , 302 Old Main St.

2. , 7423 Manatee Ave. W., has been celebrating Cinco de Mayo for an entire week! The fiesta continues Thursday with bingo, hosted by none other than Pancho Villa himself (well ... an impersonator) at 7:30 p.m. Live music from a KISS America, a KISS tribute band, at 9 p.m. Tons of food and drink specials through Saturday: $2.50 Corona, Dos Equis and Tecate; $1 well tequila shots; 50-cent tequila Jell-O shooters, $4 margaritas and more. 

3. 4307 26^th St. W., hosts its second-biggest party night of the year. All kinds of specials on certain drinks all night long: $2 Corona bottles, 2-for-1 Dirty Sanchez shots, 2-for-1 margaritas and $3 for all other Mexican beers like Dos Equis and Tecate. DJ Will K is spinning the hottest Latin Top 40 tunes throughout the evening.

4. , 4343 Palma Sola Blvd., is celebrating Cinco de Mayo with – what else? – live music! Bring your guitar and join a local southern rock jam with Charlie Witt. Take advantage of some Mexican-flavored specials: Coronas $2.50 each or $15 a bucket and $2 margaritas. 

5. Hungry? Swing by , 3812 Manatee Ave. W. Specials all day on Mexican food, tequila and Corona. 

6. will have live music, margarita specials and Mexican menu favorites like chili con carne, firehouse nachos and a burrito grande.

7. More food at , 5606 14^th St. W. Bleacher’s is letting its patrons dine for free at a taco bar and wash it down with $2 Budweisers. The party starts at 5 p.m.

8. , 7004 Cortez Rd., has specials in bulk! Five Coronas or Negra Modelos for $12, five Bud Light Limes for $10 and Dos Lunas tequila shots for $6. Specials are all day from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. 

9. , 5120 Manatee Ave. W., is a Cuban-Mexican restaurant by day and a nightclub in the evening. Specials on Cinco de Mayo include 99-cent margaritas, 2-for-1 draft beers for $2.95 and all Mexican bottled beer for $1.99 each. Get there early for lunch specials. It opens at 11 a.m.

10. The party at , 4669 Cortez Rd., is from 5 p.m. until close with $1 tacos, $2.50 Coronas and $3.99 margaritas.

What did we miss? Let us know on the comments page.

AROUND BRADENTON THIS WEEKEND, ASIDE FROM MAY 5:

• , 5917 Manatee Ave. W. #509, celebrates happy hour every day from noon to 7 p.m. Stop by to take advantage of $2.50 domestic bottles, $2 wells and $1.75 Fosters mugs and $1.25 Killians Red.
• Live music from the Vin Lamar Band from 9-1 a.m. Friday at , 302 Old Main St., downtown Bradenton’s newest bar, from 7:30-10:30 p.m. Saturday. The band plays some of Vin’s originals (he fronted the Sarasota band Stryker from 1992-2000) and covers. Check out www.vinlamar.com for more information. No cover charge.
• Cinco de Mayo week continues Friday at , 7423 Manatee Ave. W., with live music from Pitbull Toddler, the official band of the Cowhead Show on 102.5 FM radio. This is the band’s first gig with new lead singer, Joshua Maloney, from Tampa. The band goes on at 9 p.m. No cover.
• Live music from JP Soars & The Red Hots at , 4343 Palma Sola Blvd., starting at 5 p.m. Sunday. Listen to some tunes and enjoy Chef Ron’s all-you-can-eat Italian buffet for only $5.95.
• The Bradenton Marauders take on the Charlotte Stone Crabs at 7 p.m. Saturday at , 1611 9th St. W. Stay after the game for a fireworks show. Plenty to drink at McKechnie, including Iron City, the official beer of Pittsburgh. Click here for ticket info.