Have you ever heard of a special day called Cinco de Mayo? It’s a colorful and fun celebration that happens every year on May 5th. People think it’s all about parties and parades, but there’s a really interesting story behind it. So, grab your maracas, and let’s learn some cool facts about Cinco de Mayo and why it’s celebrated!
First off, Cinco de Mayo isn’t Mexico’s Independence Day like some people think. It actually marks the day when a small Mexican army won a big battle against a much larger French army in 1862. This famous battle is called the Battle of Puebla. Imagine being part of a small group of fighters who managed to win against a huge army. It’s pretty inspiring, right?
Cinco de Mayo is more popular in the United States than in Mexico. In Mexico, it’s mainly celebrated in the state of Puebla, where the battle took place. But in the United States, it’s a day to celebrate Mexican culture and heritage with music, dancing, and, of course, delicious Mexican food like tacos and guacamole.
And did you know that on Cinco de Mayo, people love to wear bright colors, especially the colors of the Mexican flag – red, white, and green? There are also lots of parades, mariachi music, and folkloric dancing. Some places even have reenactments of the Battle of Puebla to remember the courage and determination of those who fought.
Are you excited to celebrate Cinco de Mayo now that you know more facts about Cinco De Mayo? It’s a day full of fun, history, and culture, where we can learn about the bravery of a small group that stood up for their country. Let’s join in the festivities and enjoy this special day with friends and family! Don’t forget to add some Cinco de Mayo cupcakes to your celebration as well.
For more fun facts, check out our facts about Venezuela and Mexico!
Facts about Cinco de Mayo
- Cinco de Mayo is primarily observed in the state of Puebla, where Zaragoza’s unlikely victory occurred, although other parts of the country also take part in the celebration.
- Los Angeles’s annual Cinco de Mayo celebration is bigger than the one in Puebla, Mexico, where the holiday originated.
- Many 2020 Cinco de Mayo celebrations were canceled or transformed into virtual gatherings due to the pandemic.
- In 2005, Congress declared Cinco de Mayo an official U.S. holiday.
- Cinco de Mayo events worldwide include an annual skydiving event in Vancouver, Canada.
- Cities around the U.S. celebrate the holiday with events highlighting traditional Mexican dancing, music and cuisine.
- In the past, Americans have consumed more than 80 million pounds of avocados on Cinco De Mayo.
- President Roosevelt helped popularize Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the U.S. with his 1933 Good Neighbor Policy, which he enacted to improve relations with Central and South American countries.
- For many Mexicans, however, May 5 is a day like any other: It is not a federal holiday, so offices, banks, and stores remain open.
- Cinco de Mayo is a holiday celebrated on May 5 in parts of Mexico and the United States.
- There has been a backlash against Cinco de Mayo celebrations among some Latino communities in the U.S., who object to the holiday’s commercialism and portrayal of Mexican stereotypes, according to the New York Times.
- In the U.S., Cinco de Mayo is marked by lots of dancing, lots of drinking, and lots of food.
- Mariachi refers to the music most associated with Cinco de Mayo celebrations.
- The battle lasted from daybreak to early evening, and when the French finally retreated they had lost nearly 500 soldiers. Fewer than 100 Mexicans had been killed in the clash.
- In 2013, over $600 million were spent on beer for Cinco de Mayo in the U.S.
- Mariachi musicians were adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic as well.
- Cinco de Mayo is typically honored across the United States with jubilant street festivals that attract sizable crowds.
- Americans spend about $2.9 billion on margaritas every year.
- On Cinco de Mayo, a Hard Rock Cafe in the Cayman Islands hosts an annual air guitar competition.
- In 2013, Americans spent more than $600 million on beer for Cinco de Mayo, according to Nielsen.
- The day commemorates the victory of the outnumbered Mexican army over the French army at the 1862 Battle of Puebla during the Second Franco-Mexican War.
- Mole Poblano is a traditional holiday food.
- This holiday has close ties to the Chicano Rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s
- The colors traditionally associated with Cinco de Mayo are red, white and green, reflecting the colors of the Mexican flag.
- Cinco de Mayo has a place in American history beyond F.D.R.’s Good Neighbor Policy.
- In 2020, people had to make big changes in how to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.
- Forget the tacos: one of the most popular traditional dishes in Mexico for Cinco de Mayo is mole poblano, a rich sauce made from chocolate and chilis.
- Cinco de Mayo is not a celebration of Mexico’s independence. The actual Mexican Independence Day falls on Sept. 16 and celebrates the ‘Cry of Dolores’, the call to arms that launched the Mexican War of Independence.
- The city of Longmont, Colo., celebrates Cinco de Mayo with a Chihuahua beauty contest, in which they crown a King and Queen Chihuahua.
- Cinco de Mayo started on the fifth of May of the year 1862.
- There are about 54,000 Mexican restaurants in the U.S.
- In 2017, the Corona beer company lit up New York City’s famous Times Square Ball to resemble a lime wedge and hosted a ‘Lime Drop’ to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.
- Fiesta Broadway, held in downtown L.A. since 1990, is the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the country.
- Americans drink more tequila than any other country, according to the drinks market analysis firm IWSR.
- Cinco de Mayo is an official U.S. holiday
- Some cities around the country, including Denver, Colo. and Chandler, Ariz., hold an annual Chihuahua Race in honor of Cinco de Mayo.
- Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in a few other places around the world, including Brisbane, Australia, Malta and the Cayman Islands.
- About 36.6 million people of Mexican origin lived in the U.S. in 2017, according to the Pew Research Center. This includes immigrants from Mexico and people who can trace their heritage back to Mexico.
- Cinco de Mayo celebrates the anniversary of Mexico’s defeat of the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.
- Cinco de Mayo has served some political purposes as well.
- A lot of “Mexican” foods we eat in the U.S. aren’t actually an authentic part of Mexican cuisine. Dishes like hard-shell tacos, nachos, and burritos, are considered “Tex-Mex” creations.
- Americans drink an average of 3.5 alcoholic beverages each on Cinco de Mayo, according to a survey from Alcohol.org.
- In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is known as El Día de la Batalla de Puebla (The Day of the Battle of Puebla).
- Chicano rights activists love Cinco de Mayo
- Not every Mexican state celebrates Cinco de Mayo.
- The Battle of Puebla was not a major tactical victory during the war, but it boosted morale and became a symbol of Mexicans’ cultural pride, courage, and resilience.
- A Cinco de Mayo celebration is incomplete without people wearing patriotic clothing and accessories.
- President Franklin D. Roosevelt started the U.S. craze for Cinco de Mayo.
- Cinco de Mayo became a ‘drinking’ holiday in the U.S. in the 1980s, when beer companies targeted the Spanish-speaking population in marketing campaigns, according to Time.
- On May 9, 1862, President Benito Juárez declared Cinco de Mayo a national day in Mexico.
- The Battle of Puebla is re-enacted every year in Mexico City.
- Cinco de Mayo marks the last time that any foreign power attacked on North American soil.
- Mexicans don’t call it Cinco de Mayo. The official name of the holiday is El Día de la Batalla de Puebla, which translates to “The Day of the Battle of Puebla” in English.
Do you have even more interesting facts about Cinco de Mayo? Share them with us in the comments!
Michele is a mom of 5 with her degree in marriage and family studies. She believes that one of the best ways you can spend time with your family is doing fun things together.