Staff photo by Clay Schuldt Twin Cities band Mariachi Mi Tierra played at La Plaza Fiesta Thursday night to celebrate the restaurant’s first anniversary in the new building. The mariachi band played to a full house as dozens of loyal patrons dined at the popular Mexican restaurant.

MADELIA — La Plaza Fiesta celebrated a full year of operation in its new building Thursday night with great food and live musical entertainment.

The popular Mexican restaurant was one of the businesses lost to the Feb. 3, 2016, fire which claimed several Madelia businesses. La Plaza Fiesta was able to temporarily relocate to the Madelia golf course as their new building was constructed. La Plaza Fiesta formally re-opened at its original Main Street location in June 2017.

Owner Krystal Hernandez has trouble believing it has only been a single year since opening the new building. It has been a wild year for the restaurant. Since the re-construction La Plaza Fiesta’s business has been better than ever. To mark the first anniversary, the restaurant decided to bring in a mariachi band from the Twin Cities called Mariachi Mi Tierra. The band played to a packed house.

Hernandez said this was the first time the restaurant had live music. There was not enough space in the old building for live music, but now there is enough room for everyone.

In addition to celebrating this milestone, Hernanadez is celebrating the opening of the next door Mexican grocery store. Hernandez had planned to open the business over two years ago, but the fire and reconstruction of the restaurant delayed it.

The new grocery store sells ethnic grocery items and other specialty items such as gluten-free and dairy-free products. Customers will even be able to order custom piñatas.

Hernandez hopes to have the Fiesta Market open by July or August.

La Plaza Fiesta has a great deal to celebrate. Their success since the fire has been greater than expected. Patrons to the restaurant are incredibly loyal, but it is easy to be loyal when the food is this good, many said.

Karla Angus, Madelia Chamber of Commerce executive director, attended Thursday night’s celebration and praised the restaurant. She and her husband have traveled together all across the United States, but they never eat at another Mexican restaurant because they know La Plaza Fiesta is the best.

Angus said things in Madelia were going well this year. The new Madelia brewing company Lost Sanity Brewing was doing well and was holding a special open house this weekend that would include live music.

“We don’t even think of the fire anymore,” Angus said. “We’ve put it behind us. We’re looking to the future.”

In 2018, the future looks bright for Madelia.