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While plans for the upcoming Cinco de Mayo festival are moving ahead as scheduled, organizers of the celebration said they need the community's help to ensure a quality event.

"We really think it could affect the quality of what we would do," said Summer Laws, director of Comunidad Integrada, the organization sponsoring Cinco de Mayo.

Comunidad Integrada is a local public service group pledged to support and promote the successful integration of immigrants and the residents of Moffat and Routt counties.

The second annual Northwest Colorado Cinco de Mayo celebration takes place from noon to 5 p.m. May 6 at the Moffat County Fairgrounds.

Only a few residents and local businesses have agreed to sponsor the event, Laws said. Those sponsors have agreed to contribute $100 to $500 each.

Laws said the festival needs one or two sponsors to donate $1,000 or more by mid-April.

"It would basically be their venture along with us," Laws said. "It would be terrific advertising because they would be listed with us, and we hope to (advertise) in as many forms as we can."

Sponsors of last year's event -- the city of Craig and T&H Auto Parts -- return as contributors this year.

Alvaro Landa, vice president of the Comunidad Integrada board of directors, said his organization is grateful for contributions, but still needs more "cream-of-the-crop" participants.

"We're hoping for at least one grand sponsor and then a few more of the smaller ones," Landa said.

Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that commemorates the Mexican defeat of the French Army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It has gained popularity in recent years throughout U.S. cities with strong Hispanic communities.

During the May celebration in Craig, the event will be open to the public and businesses to set up vendor booths. The cost for a business is $100. For families and nonprofit organizations, it is $50.

For information, call Comun-idad Integrada at 846-5521.

Joshua Roberts can be reached at 824-7031, ext. 210, or jroberts@craigdailypress.com.