The 35th annual St. John’s Mexican Fiesta kept true to tradition Friday night, chairman Frank Lemus said, as the two-day event kicked off with plenty of enchiladas, confetti eggs and a mariachi band at 6 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church, 1234 Kentucky St.

“We made a few tweaks, but everything pretty much came together like clockwork,” Lemus said.

The event, started in 1981, celebrates Mexican-American heritage through people’s faith, music and community.

Lemus, who first helped out with the event as a teenager in the 1980s, is one of many St. John’s Catholic School alumni to volunteer for the fiesta. For them, and for the rest of the St. John’s congregation, the fiesta crew is “just like family,” Lemus said.

“No matter what happens to us, this group is always going to be here for you,” Lemus said.

But Lawrence resident and former fiesta volunteer Carol Buchheister said it’s not just St. John’s members who join in the fun; hundreds of people from all walks of faith came Friday for the festivities, which included traditional dancing, live music and, of course, authentic Mexican food.

“What I like about this is it’s very community-oriented. It’s not just for parishioners,” Buchheister said. “It’s something that St. John’s can do for the community.”

And in return, the community does something for St. John’s. Proceeds from the event benefit St. John’s School’s Spanish language program and a higher-education scholarship fund for Hispanic youth in Lawrence.

Lemus said his college-aged daughter, who attended St. John’s School, benefitted from the school’s Spanish program, which Lemus said receives about $20,000 to $25,000 from the fiesta. A proud Mexican-American and lifelong Lawrencian, Lemus said his daughter “knows Spanish better” than he does.

“It’s about giving a base for a second language and keeping connection to our culture,” Lemus said.

From 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., that culture was celebrated through dance with the St. John’s Fiesta Dancers taking the stage with traditional Mexican music and dance. As she took to the stage, 16-year-old Leslie Martinez’s moves with her fellow dancers wowed the audience.

“My cousin first showed me videos (of traditional Mexican dancing),” Martinez said. “It’s a good culture, and sort of a family thing.”

Martinez, who said she is not a member of St. John’s, said she has been studying traditional dance for about six years in Lawrence.

The event continues Saturday from 6 to 11:30 p.m. with plenty more of the authentic food, music and dance. And as an added bonus for Saturday night crowds, Lemus said, carnival games for children will be available from 6 to 9 p.m. behind the church Saturday.