Community events return to Merced with a big kickoff as COVID-19 infections slow
Long hushed due to the pandemic, nights in downtown Merced are coming back to life as COVID-19 cases fall and vaccinations rise.
Bob Hart Square, in particular, will soon be reinvigorated with a new series of evening events dubbed “The Mercado,” co-hosted by the city and the Merced County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
May 5 kicks off Cinco de Mayo as the first of six monthly nighttime happenings scheduled through October. From 6 to 10 p.m., the community can join together outdoors to eat, shop, and be entertained — with COVID-19 precautions enforced.
“It’s going to be a small but impactful event,” said Gil Cardon, who serves on the Chamber’s Board of Directors and helped conceptualize the event. “We’re looking forward to bringing the community back together in a safe way.”
With sweltering Central Valley days tempering into pleasantly warm nights, summer beckons creative ways for Merced to celebrate parts of the community that have been difficult — if not impossible — to enjoy together during the pandemic.
The six-part series of family-friendly events seeks to bring back those things everyone has missed by highlighting Merced’s culture and talent.
For example, live Flamenco guitar music, spoken poetry, an Aztec dance performance, a martial arts exhibition, a car show, and an open-air art gallery are all slated for the Mercado’s inaugural Cinco de Mayo event.
“We know that the pandemic is not over,” said Merced County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Annissa Fragoso. “We can’t bring people inside the art gallery, so let’s bring the gallery out to the people . . . everyone is tired of being cooped up.”
The Chamber is also hopeful that the event will be a boon to local small businesses, many of which have endured extra financial strain for well over a year due to COVID-19-mandated shutdowns. While Merced-focused, business owners from nearby Valley communities may apply to be a vendor, too.
“Merced needed a boost,” Cardon said. “This is the preface of the Mercado, to stir the economy.”
After events conclude in October, Cardon said the Mercado would be assessed as a possible annual summer series. The vision fits in with the city’s long-term plan for an arts and culture district in downtown Merced.
While an official district is a ways off, the city has been chipping away at the concept with new additions to the downtown scene. Painted utility boxes done by local artists are the most recent plan to add art and beauty to Merced’s streets.
Downtown Merced is scheduled to host the six Mercado installations on May 5, June 3, July 1, Aug. 5, Sept. 2, and Oct. 7 from 6 to 10 p.m. More information is available on the Chamber’s website.
This story was originally published April 29, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
