By Aqueila M. Lewis, Globe Intern

Richmond’s second annual Cinco de Mayo Festival started with a celebration on Thursday hosted by the 23rd Street Merchants Association and continued with a parade on Saturday and a festival on Sunday that drew over 17,000 people and included live entertainment, face painting, prizes, clowns and food.

   Richmond Vice Mayor John Marquez served as the parade’s grand marshal. Riding in the back of a green 1939 Lincoln Continental, he led the parade down 23rd Street in Richmond to San Pablo.
    “I feel privileged and honored to serve as grand marshal,”  said Marquez. “For 41 years I’ve served the entire community, not just the Latino community. We’re celebrating Cinco de Mayo in the way that it should be: peaceful.”

   “The Cinco de Mayo parade gives people an opportunity to show off, or in other words, to be proud of their accomplishments and extracurricular activities,” said parade coordinator Janet Ceja- Orozco. “It is a great release mechanism for people of all colors to express themselves.”

    Parade participants held signs reading, “El respecto al derecho ajeno es la paz” (Peace means respecting the rights of others) and “Reaching out ... for a better Richmond,” along with colorful red, white and green Mexican flags.
    Marchers included soldiers of war led by Robert Adams Jr., Raza Unidas, Mariachi Estrellas De Mexico, Danza Azteca Guadatupana, Danza Tonatzi, Rodeo Kings & Los Charros de San Pablo Richmond, San Pablo police chiefs Chris Magnus and Joe Aida, Explorer Cadets, the Richmond Fire Department and many others.
    Sims Metals Recycling Group members and CEO Jerrold Hatchett provided the festival stage and transportation for community members, who were accompanied by Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia.
    Other notables at the parade included Richmond City Council members Genoveva Calloway, Nat Bates, Ludmyrna Lopez and Harpreet Sandhu; Library Commissioner Cecilia Valdez; Congressman George Miller; Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin; San Pablo Vice Mayor Leonard Mc- Neil; and representatives from the office of Councilman Tony Thurmond and from Concilio Latino.
   “West County’s Cinco de Mayo parade and daylong celebration was a spectacular event,” said Miller. “I was truly inspired by the energy of the hundreds of participants as well as the enthusiasm of all of the residents who came out to watch the parade pass by.
   “Saturday’s event brought people from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures together to demonstrate all the good that our communities have to offer. I was proud to have participated in the parade, and I am very proud to be representing the people of West County in the halls of Congress,” he said.