WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Peopled flooded Travis Street for the annual Loco For Cinco Festival. The yearly event brings music, boxing and live mural painting for all to enjoy.

“It’s an honor because I love my family so much and it’s because of our deep Latin cultural roots that I do realize we’re so special and I love to express that through art,” Loco For Cinco Muralist Marie Alaniz said.

Alaniz is one of two muralists picked for the event.

Alaniz is painting an amotanical heart, which represents her grandparents being the heart of the family and also deep meaning after her father passed away from a heart attack.

Roses and jalapeños are also growing out, representing what her grandparents love.

“She used to make sure there was fresh jalapeños on his plate every meal and he used to cut fresh roses on the table for her, and that’s just kind of how they appreciated each other every single day. And we got show that example and how to be that friend – a partner and a mother, every single day,” Alaniz said.

Just across Travis Street, the annual Loco For Cinco Invitational brought boxers from across the state and Oklahoma.

This year, though, meant a little more than just sparring.

“We decided, hey let’s go ahead and sanction the event. You know that way we can get more into Wichita Falls and start to bring boxing back, which I mean, it’s back already but just trying to get it to the level it’s at actually competing and it’s meaning something for the kids,” John Zapata said.

Around the ring, USA Boxing officials judged fights. The sanctioned event helps build fighters’ resume in hopes to get them to national and Olympic fights.

“There’s so much talent here in Wichita Falls that a lot of people don’t know about, and we just want to get it out there that so everybody can see it and that’s why decided to sanction it, and it brings more to Wichita Falls,” Zapata said.

Painting and Boxing are two ways Loco For Cinco shows culture in the Hispanic community.

“How rich it is, colorful and vibrant. Why wouldn’t you want to be a part of it. Why wouldn’t you want to know all these things about all our cultural identity,” Alaniz said.

“It’s what you considered Mexican day for us. Everyone wants to compete in it now. They’re like, ‘When does that show come up?’ So that’s why we decided to do it and do it the right way,” Zapata said.

In 2022, the event brought in just over a million dollars in revenue for the city. Organizers are hoping it brings more than last year with the boxing matches sanctioned and vendors coming from as far as Oklahoma City and Dallas.