Cinco de Mayo (May 5) is a festival from Puebla, Mexico that has become the main Mexican American cultural celebration in the United States. It celebrates the Mexican victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862 – NOT Mexican Independence Day which is in September.
Cinco de Mayo NYC 2022
May 4, 2022
Mexican Dance
Calpulli Mexican Dance Company celebrates Cinco de Mayo with “Puebla: The Story of Cinco de Mayo” at Count Basie Center in Red Bank, New Jersey on Thu, May 5, 2022 at 7pm.
Cinco de Mayo Parade
At press time, we haven’t found any information about a 2022 Cinco de Mayo Parade.
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Gonzalez y Gonzalez in Greenwich Village on Thu, May 5 at 3pm. $20 (Free before 5pm). 🇲🇽
The Bryant Park Dance Party 2022 is Back with Talia-Castro Pozo
Tuesday, May 10, 2022
Flamenco Rumba
Wednesday, May 11, 2022
African Fusion
Thu, May 12, 2022
Cumbia
BRYANT PARK
Midtown, Manhattan
🇨🇴🇨🇺🇵🇦🇵🇪🇵🇷🇻🇪
Continue Reading The Bryant Park Dance Party 2022 is Back with Talia-Castro Pozo
Calpulli Mexican Dance Company Tells the Story of Cinco de Mayo at Count Basie Center
Thursday, May 5, 2022
COUNT BASIE CENTER
Red Bank, New Jersey
🇲🇽
The Cinco de Mayo Story
The Battle of Puebla played a role in American history. After being pushed out of the Americas by Haitians, the French tried to reestablish themselves by conquering Mexico and using it a base to join Confederate traitors in the Civil War against the United States.
When Mexico stopped making foreign interest payments in 1861, French, Spanish, and British naval forces blockaded Veracruz, the main Mexican Caribbean port. French forces landed, and began moving up the road to Mexico City. That brought them to Puebla.
On May 5, 1862, local Mexican forces defeated a French army that was twice its size and made up of some of the world’s most advanced military forces. This is what Cinco de Mayo is about.
The unexpected defeat cost the French the fighting season. By the time they regrouped and pushed on, the Confederacy was already doomed. If the young people of Pueblo hadn’t been so valiant, the United States might be a very different country today. ¡Viva Puebla!
Interestingly, this is when the idea of Latins in the Americas was planted. French expected Mexicans to submit because we are all “Latin” peoples. Sounds like current events in Europe in 2022.
The Festival used to be celebrated only in Puebla, Mexico. It entered U.S. popular culture through Mexican American activists in 1960s Los Angeles who celebrated the Indigenous victory over Europeans.
Today the festival is either a heritage celebration or an excuse to eat and drink Mexican style. It is the most important day of the year for Mexican restaurants and bars, so do go out and enjoy yourself safely.
Cinco de Mayo 2021
New York is still working through the COVID-19 pandemic, so it’s not a normal Cinco de Mayo. There is no Cinco de Mayo Parade this year.
Calpulli Mexican Dance Company is doing several events:
- Virtual Tour of Mexican Traditional Dress with Grisel Pren, Associate Artistic Director (she’s awesome) at queenslibrary.org Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 4pm. FREE
- Cinco de Mayo in The Vogel at Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, New Jersey on Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 7pm. Get tickets at thebasie.org $20 per group of four. Hurry it’s almost sold out.
- Many restaurants and bars are hosting events. “Buen provecho.”
The Bryant Park Dance Party 2022 is Back with Talia-Castro Pozo
Tuesday, May 10, 2022
Flamenco Rumba
Wednesday, May 11, 2022
African Fusion
Thu, May 12, 2022
Cumbia
BRYANT PARK
Midtown, Manhattan
🇨🇴🇨🇺🇵🇦🇵🇪🇵🇷🇻🇪
Continue Reading The Bryant Park Dance Party 2022 is Back with Talia-Castro Pozo
Calpulli Mexican Dance Company Tells the Story of Cinco de Mayo at Count Basie Center
Thursday, May 5, 2022
COUNT BASIE CENTER
Red Bank, New Jersey
🇲🇽
Celebrate Mexican Culture at the 2019 Cinco de Mayo Parade
UPPER WEST SIDE, NYC | Sun, May 5, 2019 | Mexican parade | NYC’s Mexican parade celebrates the many cultures that are Mexico. CANCELLED BY RAIN
Continue Reading Celebrate Mexican Culture at the 2019 Cinco de Mayo Parade
Cinco de Mayo Celebration at Sunset Park
SUNSET PARK, BROOKLYN | Fri, May 3, 2019 | Mexican-American celebration | Join the NYC Parks community celebration of Mexican music, dance and crafts