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Cinco de Mayo

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). 🇲🇽

Mexican NYC

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.”
Mexican

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