Cinco de Mayo is a day filled with music, food, and, for some among us, a little too much tequila. However, it is important to remember that there is a lot more to Cinco de Mayo than some interesting music and cuisine. In fact, Cinco de Mayo is not only a day for many individuals to celebrate their Mexican heritage, but also a day to celebrate the historical significance of the events that took place on that day. This is because the celebration of Cinco de Mayo marks a significant Mexican victory in the city of Puebla, Mexico on May 5, 1862.
At the time, the French, upon the order of Napoleon III, were attempting to invade and seize control of Mexico. Fortunately for the Mexicans and not so fortunately for the French, the French force of approximately 8,000 well-trained, well-equipped men were decisively defeated by approximately 4,500 Mexican soldiers near the city of Puebla. The French eventually returned with reinforcements and conquered Mexico, but the victory at Puebla delayed the French takeover by almost a year. This delay is significant because it not only inspired the Mexican resistance that eventually overthrew the French occupation, but also prevented the French from aiding the Confederacy during the American Civil War. As a result, Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of events that are not only important to people in Mexico but also to people in the United States as well. This means that everyone can join in on the celebration, and if you would like to join in, you may want to check out some of these events this weekend.
First, if you’re in the Boston area and you’re looking for a new way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, you may want to check out one of the Cinco de Mayo cruises. Boston Fun Cruises and several other Boston-based cruise companies are offering special cruises to celebrate the 5th of May with plenty of music, food, and beverages on Saturday and Sunday this weekend. For more information on these cruises and other Cinco de Mayo events in the Boston area, check out Boston.com’s Cinco de Mayo event page.
Secondly, if you’re in the Washington D.C. area and you’re looking for a more family-friendly way to celebrate the holiday, you may want to check out the National Cinco de Mayo Festival. The National Cinco de Mayo Festival is an enormous fiesta that is held on the National Mall each year from noon to 6 P.M. on May 5th. This festival is filled with art, food, music, dancing, dance contests, children’s arts and crafts, and a whole lot more. Need more information? No problem. Just check out the website of the festival’s hosts, the Maru Montero Dance Company.
Finally, if you’re in the San Francisco area or the San Diego area, you may want to check out the Mission neighborhood in San Francisco or Old Town in San Diego. Both of these areas have some of the largest Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the United States, and you can expect to encounter Mexican beverages, dancing, food, music, jewelry, and more Mexican culture and history than you will see anywhere else outside of Mexico. To find out more about the celebration in San Francisco, check out the San Francisco Cinco de Mayo Festival website. If you’re looking for more information on the San Diego celebration in Old Town, on the other hand, you may want to check out the Old Town Cinco De Mayo Fiesta website.