Saturday, May 12 marked the Seventh Annual May Festival celebration in Elfrida.

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Both sides of Highway 191 where filled with venders and activates for everyone to enjoy. “The Heart of the Valley” Elfrida, was ready to celebrate spring and Mother’s Day.

The event featured a Fine Art show which brought in artists from all over the valley to display their work. Along with the Power From The Past displaying many old machines, local restaurants and vendors were also selling mouth-watering food and drinks as well as roses for mothers at the local community center.

Every year Elfrida has a mother of the year, which is a calibration with the Community Center and Elfrida Elementary school. This year Jarelly Del La Cruz, Hailey Pena and Enola Paul nominated their mothers and grandmothers.

“My grandmother is very giving and is very nice,” Hailey Pena, 10, wrote in part of her letter as to why her grandmother should be considered for mother of the year, “It is very difficult to be without my parents but my grandma can help me through it. That is why my grandma should be mother of the year.”

I don’t know what I would do without them, I would never trade them though,” Leslie Pena said about her two grandchildren, Hailey and Cody Pena.

Enola Paul wrote “I want you to know how much you mean to me. You have always been there for me. You keep a roof over my head and make sure I get well feed. I don’t think that anyone’s mom can move herself and five other people across the country without going insane, but you did it….”

“My mother was always there for me and now my loving grandmother is always there for me. My mom died of breast cancer and I miss her a lot. I will always have my mom in my heart and in my mind and this is why my mom is my lady figure,” Jarelly De La Cruz said about both her mom and grandmother who ended up being this year’s winner.

The Double Adobe 4 H club had a petting zoo for child to visit with goats, rabbits, and alpacas.

Desert Videoland Oasis sponsored a car wash with students from Valley Union High School’s Music Class on hand to clean the visitor’s cars while they spent their time enjoying the festivities.

The Elfrida Fire Department held their 2nd Annual Car Show in the park, proceeds used to purchase smoke detectors for low income families in the Elfrida area. The Douglas Street Rods participated in this event.

This year’s Master of Ceremony was Ken Myers with Cochise Imprinting. Anna Lawson, 11, was the winner of this years “People Choice Award” for her painting of Sunshine Ocean. Terry and Talon Glockner of Sunizona were the 3D prize winners.

The Elfrida Art Center gives children an experience in a wide range of art, Denise Leydic, a teacher at the art center said. “An appreciation for art is what we would like them to get. We have an opportunity to fill the gap that schools don’t provide,” she said.

Elizabeth Shuler-Pointer, the Director of Elfrida Art Center, added she would like to thank the Longhorn Steak House, Round-Up, Tumbleweed Crossings, Elfrida Motel and everyone who helped the May Festival be a big success.