by Kirk Dickey of Grand Prairie TODAY

The festival will be moved to Sept. 12 as a part of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Cinco de Mayo festivities planned for May 2 have been canceled over concerns about Swine Flu, according to Grand Prairie Independent School District officials.

The festival will be moved to Sept. 12 as a part of Hispanic Heritage Month. The school district plans a mass e-mail and website information campaign to let parents and students know about the change.

Grand Prairie city and school district personnel made the decision to postpone the annual Cinco de Mayo festival after Dallas County Medical Director John Carlo sent a letter to local officials warning about large gatherings and the risk of spreading the contagion. Carlo told officials that the decision was theirs to make, but there was risk in large gatherings.

The Cinco de Mayo festival is one of Grand Prairie's largest annual festivals, with thousands showing up to celebrate.

Sandra de la Cruz, assistant superintendent of education support, said the district made the decision not to allow students to participate in the festival today. The school district's website has one headline up telling visitors about the cancellation and district personnel planned on an e-mail and printed flyer campaign to let residents know about the change.

Flyers were being mailed to all the district's campuses to be sent home with students.

The Cinco de Mayo Committee hopes to offer all the same festivities in September, coinciding with Diez y Seis de Septiembre, a celebration of Mexico's War of Independence from Spain.

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