Articles and Stories

May 5, 2015

By Amanda Scott

Recently I was speaking with a close friend about Cinco de Mayo. He is from Mexico and told me that they don’t really celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Mexico.  I honestly couldn’t believe it!  I decided to look it up and found that it actually is more widely celebrated in the United States.

There are many misconceptions surrounding Cinco de Mayo.  First of all, many people believe that Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexico’s independence.  Mexicans celebrate their independence from Spain on September 16th, the day that war was declared against the Spanish Government in 1810.  Mexico’s movement for independence spanned years and wasn’t recognized by Spain until 1821.

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Battle of Puebla, where Mexican soldiers triumphed against France’s stronger, larger troops.  France lost over 500 soldiers to Mexico’s ill-equipped army, while Mexico suffered less than 100 casualties. The holiday is normally celebrated in Puebla, where the battle took place. There it is called El Día de la Batalla de Puebla, the Day of the Battle of Puebla.  Celebrations in Mexico include military parades.

The 5th of May is not a federal holiday in Mexico. Stores, banks, and offices are typically open and go about normal business. Public schools across all of Mexico however are closed. In the state of Puebla and its neighboring Veracruz it is an official holiday, which means no work for the people who reside there.

In the U.S. focus on Cinco de Mayo began in California in the 1860’s. Recognition spread across the country in the 1950’s and 1960’s, but it wasn’t until the1980’s when beer companies capitalized on the holiday and began to promote it that it became popular.  It now serves as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage.

So while Cinco de Mayo is a big holiday in the state of Puebla, the rest of Mexico’s May 5th celebrations fall short compared to the United States’ festivities. Some bigger U.S. Cities will host parades, but in almost any local Mexican restaurant you can find people celebrating with margaritas and mariachi bands.