For the second time in 2026, the Gaslamp Quarter will not hold a popular, well-established public event due to financial issues related to escalating costs and city budget constraints.
The Cinco de Mayo celebration scheduled for May 2 has been canceled, according to Gaslamp Quarter Association Executive Director Michael Trimble.
The GQA has been host of the free Cinco de Mayo block party, which in the past included live music from mariachi bands and DJs, a lowrider show and competition, and Lucha Libre wrestling matches.
Trimble said the Cinco de Mayo event was canceled partly because past, and possibly future, arts and culture grants from the city were eliminated, as well as due to corporate sponsorship backing out.
He added that a long-running financial dispute with the city was the primary reason for canceling the Cinco de Mayo party.
“The city didn’t reimburse the GQA for contractually obligated expenses for operating the [Fifth Avenue] Promenade,” Trimble said.
Recall that the Promenade project aimed to close a portion of Fifth Avenue to automobile traffic and eventually activate that section of the Gaslamp Quarter as a pedestrian-friendly attraction.
The GQA and the city were at odds over the obligation by the city to cover costs incurred by maintaining a bollard program used for a short period of time to block off traffic on Fifth Avenue.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria’s office did not reply to a request for comment on cancellation of the Cinco de Mayo party.
In March, the 30th annual ShamRock Festival, a ticketed St. Patrick’s Day celebration of music and beer, was also canceled. That mega-event, which drew tens of thousands of attendees, was previously hosted by the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation, which operates the downtown Davis-Horton House.
At the time, Gaslamp Museum Manager at the Davis-Horton House Katelyn Ancona said the Historical Association board “determined it was no longer the right fit…If plans change in the future, the museum would certainly evaluate opportunities as they arise.”
McFarlane Promotions Inc. produces both the ShamRock and Cinco de Mayo events. After the ShamRock cancellation, Director of Operations Jenna Lyn Thompson said the cost to produce ShamRock had increased significantly.
“As a nonprofit organization, we felt it was responsible to take a year to pause and evaluate how the event can return in a way that remains sustainable while continuing to support our mission,” Thompson said.
The San Diego Sun reached out again recently to ask McFarlane Promotions about the Cinco de Mayo cancellation. A person who identified themself as Beth answered the phone and hung up when asked questions about the event.
Especially with proposed arts and culture budget cuts from the mayor, the cancellation of two Gaslamp Quarter events could be a signal that more events will be called off.
“Time will tell on future events,” Trimble said.
He noted that many Gaslamp bars and restaurants will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo on their own. There’s also a series of Cinco de Mayo SD bar hops happening May 1, 2 and 5. SDSun
