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Cinco de Mayo


Photo of Dancers

Cinco de Mayo (Fifth of May) is a celebration of the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla where Mexican soldiers defeated a much larger French force in 1862. In Mexico, the holiday is most popular in the state of Puebla, where a reenactment of the famous battle takes place in the capital city, also called Puebla. In other parts of the country, Independence Day (September 16th) is by far the popular holiday.

It is not necessary to go to Puebla to celebrate el Cinco de Mayo: the holiday is becoming ever more popular in the United States. It is not known why this particular holiday is more celebrated in the US than in much of Mexico, but in recent years, large-scale Cinco de Mayo festivals have spread beyond the areas of the southwest which traditionally have large concentrations of Mexican-Americans to cities as diverse as Shreveport, Louisiana and Caldwell, Idaho.

Most Cinco de Mayo celebrations feature music, dance, other cultural activities and Mexican food. In the historic Olvera St. district of Olvera Street, the festivities include Mariachi bands and Flamenco Dancers. St. Paul holds a Lowrider Car Show and a salsa tasting contest at its Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, which is one of the 10 largest in the USA.

Below is a listing of some of the cities that hold Cinco de Mayo Festivals in the United States. Click on the name of the city to visit a website about the event. If you plan to attend an event, please check with the event's sponsor in advance in case of error, date change or cancellation.


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