Two-For-One Celebration at the Baggataway Tavern’s Derby de Mayo

With all the different events throughout the first week of May, including May Day, Cinco de Mayo, and the Kentucky Derby, it can be difficult to make it to everything.  If your schedule—or your liver—can’t handle all that partying, the Baggataway Tavern in Conshohocken offers an easy solution by combining the two biggest celebrations of the month into one outdoor blowout called Derby de Mayo, held this year on Saturday, May 7.

“The first year we did this, they both fell on the same day,” said part-owner Julie Keener of the combined party.  “We’ve just decided to do it that way ever since.”  Now in its fifth year, the celebration offers an eclectic mash-up of the two cultural events, leading to choices like fancy derby hats or sombreros, margaritas or mint juleps.  Many people decided to forgo actually making a choice and happily partook in both the delightfully strong mint julep and the salty yet refreshing margarita.  Some of the Derby de Mayo attendees opted simply for a tequila shot, which was available along with standard Cinco de Mayo beers like Corona and Dos Equis.

The Baggataway Tavern offered Cinco de Mayo fare to eat as well, featuring a taco bar with the choice of three kinds of tacos: a spicy Pork al Pastor with delicious chunks of pineapple, a chicken tingas taco, and a spicy, flaky blackened fish taco.  The taco bases were $3 each or 2-for-$5, and the value was outstanding.  Each serving gave at least enough for two filled taco shells plus fixin’s! The tacos were accompanied by Spanish rice and a variety of toppings including refried and black beans, salsa, pico de gallo and guacamole, all made in-house by the tavern’s kitchen staff. The guacamole, with its cilantro kick, was an easy highlight of the serve-yourself toppings. Attending such an event with mint juleps, fancy hats and pork tacos piled high with guac is an excellent way to spend a (mostly) sunny Saturday afternoon!

From start to finish, the parking lot was packed with revelers eager to celebrate the two events at once.  Even the rain, which threatened at some points and then eventually made good on its threats, was not enough to keep the crowd away.  Whether the crowd was huddled under the tent as the brief downpours attacked the area or spread out among the entire parking lot, the band was playing and the drinks were flowing.

For those who weren’t into the party spirit—or spirits—the bar inside continued to offer their impressive selection of craft beer as well as their full menu, teeming with tasty bites that are all made fresh in-house. However, it was clear no one wanted to give up on the event even as it was raining, and no one did.  The driving reason for this was obvious to Julie Keener: “Everyone knows it’s a good time.”  And whether you’re celebrating Cinco de Mayo, the Kentucky Derby, both or neither, a good time is the minimum you’ll get at the Baggataway’s Derby de Mayo.  Make absolutely certain to add this to your calendar of things to do in 2012.