DAYTON — The Latino bands were playing. Dancers — some wearing sombreros — were gyrating. At the back of the room, bartenders were mixing margaritas.

Tijuana? No. Mexico City? Uh-uh. Acapulco? Nope.

It was the annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration, returning to downtown Dayton inside the Top of the Market this year after rain plagued an outdoor event in Miamisburg last year.

"This is just the beginning of the party," Julio Gonzalez, president of Puerto Rican and Caribbean Organization (PACO), which organizes the event, told the crowd as Latin band Conjunto Jibaro finished playing. "Fiesta time begins now."

"This is our heart. This is our culture," said Elizabeth Jimenez-Pages, who also works for the all-volunteer PACO. "We want to share it."

Jimenez-Pages, a medical assistant and bilingual instructor in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation for the American Red Cross, said she was attracted to the Hispanic community organization after showing up each year at its Hispanic Heritage Festival. The group has provided support for scholarships and donations to needy families.

Jimenez-Pages, 23, graduated last year from Ohio State University. Gonzalez, 48, an accountant for the Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, described her as PACO's "new blood, the next generation."

Gonzalez, a native of Puerto Rico who has been in the Dayton area 27 years, met his wife, Tina, after coming to this area.

Tina Gonzalez's company, Miami Valley Interpreters, which provides language interpretation services to hospitals, courts and lawyers, is now one of the Cinco de Mayo event's sponsors, along with Montgomery County, the Ohio Arts Council, Kroger and Heidelberg Distributing Co.

Vote for this story!