FRIDAY, MAY 1
Special events
Mesa Convention Center
201 N. Center St., Mesa
The annual Arizona Tattoo Expo is guaranteed to get under your skin, as more than 150 local and national ink slingers will show off their work. Activities include on-site tattooing and piercing, performances from sideshow acts, appearances by the Edge 103.9's Robin Nash and Power 98.3's The Nutz, tattoo contests, and more. 3-11 p.m. (also runs Saturday, May 2, noon-11 p.m.; and Sunday, May 2, noon-8 p.m.). $20 per day, $45 for the weekend. Visit www.aztattooexpo.com.
Restaurants
Cien Agaves Tacos & Tequila
7228 E. 1st Ave., Scottsdale
How many tacos can you stuff in your craw? Find out at Cien Agave's eating contest on Friday, May 1, which also features drink specials and tequila promotions. (Shredded beef tacos will also be available for just a buck on Tuesday, May 5). 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Call 480-970-9002.
Macayo's on Central
4001 N. Central Ave.
DJ Big Latin spins up the hottest hip-hop, cumbias, and Latin hits. 4-10 p.m. Call 602-264-6141 for cover.
Mi Amigos
Three Valley locations
Dine on red chile-roasted back ribs served with cilantro rice, chilled corn, and avocado salad, and other delights for $13.95. Drink specials include $2.75 16-ounce Negra Modelo drafts and $4.50 fruity margaritas. Giveaways will also be offered. Available through Tuesday, May 5. Call 480-892-6822.
Bars & Clubs
Bar Smith
130 E. Washington St.
www.barsmith.com
Dance your ass off to a dope mix of electro, house, techno, and mash-ups at FUSE Fridays, courtesy of Sol Martinez, DJ Mara, Sonique des Fleurs, and Disco Da. DJs E.C. and Mane-1 pop off hip-hop tracks downstairs. Specials include $3 Skyy drinks, Blue Moon, and select shots. Free before 10 p.m., $5 thereafter. Call 602-229-1265.
Bennett's Tavern
1762 S. Greenfield Rd., Mesa
Leroy Sinclair and the Smokin' Section play live blues. 7 p.m. Call 480-892-2844.
Club Mardi Gras & VooDoo Lounge
8040 E. McDowell Rd., Scottsdale
www.clubmardigrasaz.com
Former Crank Yankers star (and current co-host of VH1 Classic's That Metal Show) Jim Florentine unleashes some yuks in Scottsdale. 8 p.m. (He also performs 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 2). $20. Call 480-970-5707 or visit www.brownpapertickets.com.
Matador Mexican Restaurant
125 E. Adams St.
Shake your moneymaker at Caliente Chica Fridays, with DJ AL3 and The Manic Hispanic spinning reggaeton, hip-hop, cumbias, and Latin music. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Call 602-254-7563 for cover.
The Ruby Room Lounge
717 S. Central Ave.
www.myspace.com/therubyroomlounge
Local surf-rock artists The Surfside IV and special guests will perform. 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Call 602-258-6900.
The Sets
93 E. Southern Ave., Tempe
www.thesets.com
Industrial rock gods My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult will visit The Sets, with locals Bella Lune, Politik 89, and Zinforge also on the lineup. 7:30 p.m. $13. Call 480-829-1822.
SATURDAY, MAY 2
Special Events
Barrios Unidos Park
1501 E. Mohave St.
The two-day Cinco de Mayo Festival hosted by 88.3 La Campesina Radio features food, games, entertainment, and performances by a slew of Latino musicians, including Intocable, Los Grandes de Tijuana, Colmillo Norteño, Carmen Jara, Los Canarios, and others. 3 p.m.-midnight. Also runs noon to 10 p.m. on Sunday, May 3. $10 (free for kids 12 and under). Visit www.campesina.com.
Celebrity Theatre
440 N. 32nd St.
www.celebritytheatre.com
It's gonna get muy caliente inside the Celebrity when the muscle-bound men of Chippendales start dropping trou. 18-and-over only. 9 p.m. $20-$35. Call 602-267-1600.
Food City Cinco de Mayo Festival
Jefferson St. between 1st & 5th Aves.
The massive 10-block fiesta celebrating Latino culture kicks off, with food and drink vendors, games, activities, and more. Live music includes performances by Montez de Durango, Kingz One, and others. 1 p.m.-midnight. $7 for adults, free for kids 12 and under. Call 602-279-4669.
Chandler Downtown Library Plaza
100 E. Commonwealth Ave., Chandler
Pack up your pups for Chandler's annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration, which is headlined by Chihuahua racing for prizes at 5 p.m. ($25 entry fee, sign-up at 1 p.m., limited to 150 dogs), and contests to determine the "King and Queen Chihuahua" at 3 p.m., in addition to vendors, food, and drink all day. Live entertainment includes performances by mariachis, folkloric dancing groups, Latin musicians, and more. Visit www.chandleraz.gov for the full lineup. 10 a.m. to midnight. Call 480-782-2735.
El Pedregal Shops & Dining
34505 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale
www.elpedregal.com
Prepare your taste buds for the annual Cinco de Mayo Salsa Festival, where more than a dozen local chefs and restaurants (including Café Carumba and Spotted Donkey Cantina) will offer salsa tastings. A mariachi trio takes the stage at noon, with the Ballet Folklorico Junior Dancers performing at 2 p.m. Meanwhile, the Bakery Café will serve such treats as Mexican wedding cookies, apple-mango chimichangas, and margarita pie with a Cointreau and tequila topping. Noon-3 p.m. 480-488-1072.
Phoenix Event Complex
2247 N. 99th Ave.
Clutch a Corona in one hand and throw a hook 'em horns with the other at KUPD's annual UFest concert. More than a dozen hard rock and nu-metal bands will perform, including Chevelle, Drowning Pool, Static-X, Saliva, Powerman 5000, and Steel Panther. Noon-10 p.m. $30-$98. Visit www.epitickets.com.
Marquee Theatre
730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe
www.luckymanonline.com
The concert venue hosts the Kandieland V dance party with a slew of turntablists working the decks all night long. The U.K. DJ triumvirate of Darren Styles, Jamie Ritmen, and Marc Smith headline the event. 6 p.m. $25-$30. Call 480-829-0607.
West Valley Art Museum
17420 N. Avenue of the Arts, Surprise
www.wvam.org
The Cinco de Mayo Festival will offer a stunning array of traditional music and dance performances (including flamenco and ballet folklorico), as well as arts and crafts, piñatas, food and drink, and the "Mayan Mysteries" exhibition by photographer Willis Peterson. 4:30-8:30 p.m. $7 adults, $5 members, $4 teens, and $2 for kids age 5-12 (includes entry to the museum and exhibits). Call 623-972-0635.
Restaurants
Los Compadres
2350 W. Northern Ave.
The jazz ensemble of trumpet player Tom Miles, pianist David Valdivia, bassist Vic Kottner, drummer Tom Goodwin, and guitarist Dick Curtis performs. 6:30-9:30 p.m. Call 602-864-0043.
McDuffy's Grille
980 E. Pecos Rd.
www.mcduffys.com
Saturday Cinco Party with DJ Sean in the mix, $2 Dos Equis, $4 Sol de Mexico tequila shots, $5 house margaritas and more. 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Call 480-966-8200.
Bars & Clubs
Club DWNTWN
702 N. Central Ave.
The turntablist trio of DJs Rubass, Fredo, and Big Latin spin reggaeton, bachata, rock en español, and other Latin jams all night. 9:30 p.m.-4 a.m. $10. Call 602-258-8343.
Hollywood Alley
2610 W. Baseline Rd., Mesa
San Diego's The Modlins and Valley band Sister Cities serve up some indie rock. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. $5. Call 480-820-7117.
The Ice House Tavern
3855 E. Thomas Rd.
Relive your awkward high school days while cutting a rug with scenesters at the Shizz Prom, where the theme will be "An Enchanted Evening on Mars" and DJ mig50 provides the '80s dance hits. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. $5. Call 602-244-1179.
Jackson's on Third
245 E. Jackson St.
Latin SNL featuring the turntablists of Ritmo Latino (including Villin, Madd Rich, and DJ Big Latin) blasting out the hottest reggaeton, hip-hop, old-school, and Latin vibes all night. Free before 10 p.m. Visit www.rleaz.com for cover and guest list access.
Pennie Lee's
12417 W. Glendale Ave., Glendale
www.myspace.com/pennieshill
Power 98.3 hosts an evening of Latin hip-hop artists, including Chingo Bling, Lil' Rob, Kno-Turn'al, Cash P, Indaskreet, Social, Jesse Thomas, and more. 7 p.m. $20 pre-sale, $30 at the door, $45 for VIP admission (which includes access to a backstage bar and complimentary buffet). Visit www.famoentertainment.com.
Sandbar Mexican Grill
9868 W. Northern Ave., Peoria
10050 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale
The "Cinco de Sandbar" celebration returns for its fifth straight year. Fifty tons of sand will transform the parking lots of each location into a major-league beach parties all weekend. Scottsdale will host live music from EastonAshe on Saturday at 8 p.m., with the annual dodgeball tournament going down place on Sunday. (Co-ed teams of nine are involved, with a $150 entry fee and $1,000 cash prize for first). Over at Peoria, activities include a bikini contest on Saturday, Chihuahua races and a taco-eating contest on Sunday, and live music and cornhole tournaments on both days. Open until 2 a.m. Also runs Sunday, May 3. Call 480-998-8845 or 623-877-6444 for cover.
Silver Martini & Wine Bar
136 E. Washington St.
Get your groove on at Sabado de Sabor with DJ Skandalis and DJ Astonish spinning cumbia, merengue, salsa, bachata, hip-hop, and reggaeton. Specials include $2 Tequila until midnight, and $2 Mexican imports and 50-cent Tecate until 11. Ladies free until 10:30 p.m. Visit www.surgenights.com for cover and VIP access.
SUNDAY, MAY 3
Special Events
Chandler Center for the Arts
250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler
The Salt River Brass presents its "Fiesta!" celebration, which features an exotic selection of music from Spain and Latin America, including the Xavier Cugat Orchestra's El Cumbanchero, the Marcha de Zacatecas, Raphael Mendez's La Virgin de la Macarena, and Silvestre Revueltas' symphonic poem Sensemayá. 3 p.m. $15-$10 adults, $13-$18 seniors and students. Call 602-334-4556 or visit www.saltriverbrass.org.
Food City Cinco de Mayo Festival
Jefferson St. between 1st & 5th Aves.
The Latino festival concludes, offering a second day of food and drink vendors, games, and plenty of activities. Live music will be offered from Los Horoscopos, Augie Meyers, Charlie Rich Jr., Little Joe y La Familia, Ruben Ramos and the Mexican Revolution, and others. Noon-10 p.m. $7 for adults, free for kids 12 and under. Call 602-279-4669.
Bars & Clubs
Fuego Bar & Grill
9118 W. Van Buren St., Tolleson
Family Day benefiting United Phoenix Fire Fighters Association featuring a car show, face painting, live music, and free ice cream. 3-10 p.m. Call 623-478-7300.
SideBar
1514 N. 7th Ave.
Every drink in the house is 20 percent off during Sunday Services, including SideBar's handcrafted cocktails. DJ Jared Alan will be on the turntables from 9 p.m. until close. 5:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Call 602-254-1646.
TUESDAY, MAY 5
Special Events
Casino Arizona
524 N. 92nd St., Scottsdale
Chris Reid (a.k.a. Kid of Kid-N-Play fame) headlines the Cinco de Mayo Comedy Fiesta, which also features Jill-Michele Melean from Reno 911, MADtv cut-up Johnny Sanchez, and Rudy Moreno. 8 p.m. $25. Visit www.ticketmaster.com.
Restaurants
Aunt Chilada's
7330 N. Dreamy Draw Dr.
Cinco de Mayo party featuring mariachi and salsa bands, live music by The Chris Parker Project, promo giveaways, food and drinks, and more. 3 p.m.-2 a.m. $10. Call 602-944-1286.
Dos Gringos Chandler
1361 N. Alma School Rd., Chandler
A massive Cinco de Mayo party is planned, promising live music, beer pong, Wii games, DJs, and more. $5. Call 480-855-3303.
K O'Donnell's American Bar & Grill
14850 N. Northsight Blvd., Scottsdale
Specials on Modelo, Corona, Dos Equis, and margaritas are available all day, as well as live music 4-8 p.m., authentic Mexican food, $1 tacos. 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Call 480-922-7200.
Los Compadres
2350 W. Northern Ave.
Food and drink specials, giveaways, and more. 4-9 p.m. Call 602-864-0043.
McDuffy's Grille
980 E. Pecos Rd.
Cinco de Mayo specials include $6.99 jumbo burritos, $4 mojitos, $3 house margaritas, and more. 5 p.m.-midnight. Call 480-966-8200.
The Office Restaurant & Bar
21001 N. Tatum Blvd., Suite 96
Cinco de Mayo party with $2 Dos Equis and machaca tacos, $3 gringo margaritas, and more. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Call 480-513-4401.
Salty Señorita
Four Valley locations
www.saltysenorita.com
The annual "Señoritaville" extravaganza will be unleashed at each location with more than 10,000 square feet of party space, cheap food, drink specials, island bars, pimped-out stages, outdoor grills, and more. Live entertainment includes performances by Metalhead, The Spazmatics, and DJ Diesel in Old Town Scottsdale; Rock Lobster, and Rebel Jack in Mesa; Shallow Water and others in north Scottsdale; and The Polyesters, Nineball, and DJ Sunny in Peoria. Shuttle service will also be available between the two Scottsdale locations. 11 a.m.-2 a.m. $10 "no-cover, no-wait" pre-sale wristbands available. Call 480-946-7258.
Valle Luna Mexican Restaurant
3336 W. Bell Rd.
Cinco de Mayo Tent Party with giveaways, trivia contests, a complimentary nacho bar outside, a DJ spinning the hits, and live music from the R&B Project and the Blues Bros. 3 p.m.-10:30 p.m. $5. Call 602-993-3108.
Bars & Clubs
Blue Agave Mexican Cantina
7000 E. Mayo Blvd., Scottsdale
Cinco de Mayo party featuring appearances by the promo girls for Corona, Milagro Tequila, and Three Olives, as well as giveaways (including a $1,000 LCD flat-screen TV), stripper poles, music from DJ Soloman from 10 p.m. until close, $4 house margaritas, $3 Corona and Corona Lights, shot specials, and more Open until 2 a.m. $2. Call 480-419-6375.
CK's Tavern & Grill
4142 E. Chandler Blvd., Phoenix
Enjoy such drink specials as $2.50 Sierra Nevada, 25-ounce domestics, and Heineken pints, as well as $3 Corona and Corona Light, and 40-cent wings. 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Call 480-706-5564.
Club Red
2155 E. University Dr., Tempe
Cinco de Metal with Top Dead Center, One Body Too Many, Winter Darkness, and others. 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Call 480-966-4733.
Dos Gringos Trailer Park
1001 E. 8th St., Tempe
Games, beer pong, DJs, and more. Drink specials go from 4 to 7 p.m. and include $1 shots, $2 beers, $3 Gringoritas, and other deals. 11 a.m.-2 a.m. $5. Call 480-968-7879.
Dos Gringos Scottsdale
4209 N. Craftsman Ct., Scottsdale
Cinco party extending into the parking lot with DJs inside and live bands outside starting at 8 p.m., and more. Specials run from 4 to 7 p.m. and include $1 shots, $2 beers, $3 Gringoritas, and $4 food items. 11 a.m.-2 a.m. $5. Call 480-423-3800.
Flicka's Baja Cantina
2003 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale
Raven's Cinco de Mayo Fiesta will feature grooves from DJ Tyger starting at 5 p.m., a complimentary buffet from 7 to 8 p.m., and live R&B/funk by House Quake starting at 8:30 p.m., and more. Food and drink specials include $1 shredded beef tacos, $2 Tecate bottles, $3 Red Bull vodka, and $5 Smirnoff-flavored cosmos. 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Call 480-945-3618.
Fuego Bar & Grill
9118 W. Van Buren St., Tolleson
Live music from Tribe 7, Latino Rebel Band, La Familia Bano, and DJ Styxx in the mix. 3 p.m.-2 a.m. $5. Call 623-478-7300.
Iguana Mack's
1371 N. Alma School Rd., Chandler
Piñata busts, a "best beer belly" contest, an authentic Mexican menu, DJs, a bikini contest, live music, and more. Noon-6 p.m. Free before 6 p.m. Call 480-899-6735.
Macayo Depot Cantina
300 S. Ash Ave., Tempe
Cinco de Mayo Beach Party with drink specials, DJs, contests, prizes, giveaways, and more. Live music will be provided by Silver Medallion, 2 Tone Lizard Kings, Katastro, Claybirds, Tyme Will Tell, and others. 11 a.m.-2 a.m. $5 after 3 p.m., $15 for VIP access. Call 480-966-6677.
Marc's Sports Grill & Nightlife
4494 W. Peoria Ave., Glendale
All-day drink specials include $2 tequila shots, $2.50 margaritas, $2.75 Coronas and tequila sunrises, and $3.50 Dos Equis pints. Karaoke in the MarcTini Lounge and music videos in the main bar start at 9 p.m., with food specials will also be offered (including $6.75 chicken enchiladas or green chili burro platters). 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Call 623-842-1053.
Prankster's Gar & Brill
1024 E. Broadway Rd., Tempe
Homemade tamales and enchiladas will be served, with $2.50 Mexican beer and $3 margaritas served all day. 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Call 480-967-8875.
Prankster's Too
7919 E. Thomas Rd., Scottsdale
Live trivia starts at 7:30 p.m., karaoke follows at 9 p.m., with $2.50 Mexican beers, and $3 margaritas available all day. 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Call 480-990-1114.
Renee's Grand Avenue Tavern
2448 Grand Ave.
Cinco de Mayo celebration with food, music, and surprises all night long. 6 p.m.-1 a.m. Call 602-252-2770.
The Rhythm Room
1019 E. Indian School Rd.
Celebrate ¡Cinco de Mona! with funk by Black Carl and Latin/world jams by DJ Seduce. 7 p.m.-2 a.m. $5. Call 602-265-4842.
The Sail Inn
26 S. Farmer Ave., Tempe
Musicians from across the Valley can participate in the Sail Inn's open mic night while you partake in drink specials. 8:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Call 480-966-9565.
San Felipe's Cantina
21001 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix
2000 E. Rio Salado Pkwy., Tempe
Cinco de Drinko with mariachis, giveaways, killer "early bird" drink specials like $2 Dos Equis and $3 Hornitos margaritas, live music at the Tempe location, and more. 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Call 480-515-2337 or 480-736-8226.
Shady's
2701 E. Indian School Rd.
Free pool until 7 p.m., drink specials, and the joint's kickass jukebox. Open until 2 a.m. Call 602-956-8998.
TT Roadhouse
2915 N. 68th St., Scottsdale
"Fiesta Grande" with drink specials on tequila and beer, free pool until 7 p.m., and the always-awesome jukebox. Open until 2 a.m. Call 480-947-8723.
