Giddy Up! Skeleton rides demon pony at Denio's
The Denio’s snack bars offer hot dogs, corn dogs and baseball-stadium nachos, but I was craving Mexican food (big surprise there). The first Jimboy’s Tacos resides just outside the gates to Denio’s: a nostalgic shack offering beef tacos (only) for (only) $1.70. With no variety and yo no come carne, the nearby Maron’s Mexican Restaurant served up a delicious chili relleno and icy Victoria cerveza: the perfect precursor to get my Denio’s Shop ON.
YUM Maron's knows how to cook Mexican perfectamente
It’s true what they say, Denio's has Something for Everyone, and it’s hard to know where to begin or how to end. I had a short list with me to which I tried to stick, but found myself instead constantly distracted by the randomness of items. 
Aw don't cry Baby Banana, he is here to take care of you now
My favorite part of shopping was the Mexican candy. Offered by the Fiesta y Pinata vendors, whose crepe-paper masterpieces swayed in the breeze overhead, I selected piece after piece of imported dulce, including Carlos V chocolates, several varieties of tamarind, assorted sweet-with-hot-chili-and-salt confections and chewy guava-mango bars. Eight dollars later, I was muy feliz.
You KNOW you want to wear these to the club: Jar Boot's Aye, Hoy y Siempre
The Farmer’s Market section offered foods of all kinds, from dried beans and nuts weighed by the pound to exotic flowers, cacti and caged birds. I bought big, flat, green nopales and giggled like a kid over the tiny fruit. So cute!
Aw don't cry Baby Banana, he is here to take care of you now
The Short List:
Mexican flag bikini
Big tacky cocktail rings
Silver “Tito” name necklace
Virgen de Guadalupe blanket
Bienvenidos door mat
Mexican flag bikini
Big tacky cocktail rings
Silver “Tito” name necklace
Virgen de Guadalupe blanket
Bienvenidos door mat
Sadly, I only found the cocktail rings but happily they were $1.00 each. Maravilloso! I was surprised no vendors had name necklaces: an abundance of dollar signs and crosses, but no “Tito” para mi. El sigh. I was told it’s too soon for bikinis but there would probably be a Corona one offered soon, to which I answered proudly, “Gracias, pero yo tengo una bikini de Corona.” Yep.
Many of my wonderful friends represented in one booth - ¡Hijole!
I saw one Virgen blanket made of highly-flammable poly-velour, it was fly,colorful and super tacky (in other words, perfect) but at $45, the Thriftana in me pressed on, in search of a Bienvenidos door mat... to be found… no where. (Pero, sí por uno momento, I contemplated the Chivas car mats...)
Chico con el pistole - yep, Denio's sells (fake) guns to kids. Bang!
My favorite part of shopping was the Mexican candy. Offered by the Fiesta y Pinata vendors, whose crepe-paper masterpieces swayed in the breeze overhead, I selected piece after piece of imported dulce, including Carlos V chocolates, several varieties of tamarind, assorted sweet-with-hot-chili-and-salt confections and chewy guava-mango bars. Eight dollars later, I was muy feliz.
mmm filling up the basket for the big sugar-induced haul home
As the afternoon progressed, a snack of coconut paleta and chilly Modelo helped, but I was disappointed no one at Denio’s offered Michoacana paletas and the Modelo was a can for $3.75. Regardless, it was fun to enjoy a frozen treat AND open beer while rummaging through brightly-colored bras and pajama sets (4 for $10, can’t beat it).
So confusing! Where do I start? And that's just the corn dogs
Around 3:15 pm you start noticing everyone closing up, packing their trailers and sweeping up around their stalls – closing time is at 3:30 sharp. Walking back to the parking lot, I found a brochure on how to Pray the Rosary and took it as a sign – “Ay Dios, gracias por el lugar de magica llame Denio’s”