Buzz
Every year on May 5th, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated globally. Crowds pour into bars and streets, wearing sombreros and enjoying mariachi music, often expressing their appreciation for Mexican culture in ways that involve excessive drinking.
However, none of these activities are actually tied to the holiday. In reality, Cinco de Mayo is one of the most misinterpreted holidays worldwide. Prepare yourself—because much of what you believe about this so-called 'Mexican holiday' is incorrect.
10. It’s Not Actually a Mexican Holiday
Cinco de Mayo isn’t as Mexican as many believe. In fact, it’s a US holiday. The first celebration took place on May 5, 1863, in California.
To be honest, Mexicans attempted to celebrate May 5 around the same time, but they were preoccupied with a French invasion, leaving little room for festivities. On May 5, 1863, they were focused on defending their families from the French Foreign Legion, which didn’t exactly set the mood for celebration.
While Mexico never officially made May 5 a holiday, the US did. Mexican immigrants in America initiated the celebrations and kept the tradition alive for decades.
Today, Cinco de Mayo is observed as a national holiday in the United States, but it remains an ordinary day in Mexico. For most Mexicans, May 5 is just like any other day.
9. It’s Not Even Celebrated in Mexico
The world’s largest Cinco de Mayo festival doesn’t take place in Mexico—it’s hosted in Los Angeles. Chicago holds the second-largest celebration, followed by Houston and several other US cities. Interestingly, Mexico doesn’t even rank on the list of top Cinco de Mayo festivities.
This is because Mexicans don’t actually celebrate the holiday. While there might be occasional small gatherings inspired by American traditions, they’re quite different. Typically, Mexicans mark the day with speeches, picnics, and flag displays. And since they’re observing an American holiday, many of those flags feature stars and stripes.
Only one city in Mexico truly celebrates Cinco de Mayo: Puebla. However, their celebrations don’t involve drunken renditions of “Despacito.” Instead, they host parades, reenact historical battles from Mexico’s fight against France, and honor their history of resisting foreign invaders.
So, if you’re seeking an authentic Mexican Cinco de Mayo experience, you might need to find a genuine 1862 French Foreign Legion uniform.
8. It’s Not Mexico’s Independence Day
The reason Puebla celebrates Cinco de Mayo is that the holiday marks a historic battle fought in the region.
Despite common misconceptions, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day. Mexico’s Independence Day is actually celebrated on September 16. If you’re unsure about the significance of Cinco de Mayo, you’re not alone—many Mexican Americans are also unaware of its true meaning.
The holiday honors Mexico’s surprising triumph in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. At the time, France was invading Mexico and had Puebla under siege. The odds were against Mexico, as they were outnumbered two to one and facing what was then the world’s most formidable army.
On that day, Mexico stood firm against France. Defying all expectations, they successfully repelled the French assault and forced them to retreat. It was a remarkable victory: Mexico suffered fewer than 100 casualties while taking down 500 French soldiers.
So, that’s what Cinco de Mayo commemorates. It’s not about Mexican independence or culture—it’s about the defeat of 500 French troops.
7. Mexico Didn’t Ultimately Win the War
Following the Battle of Puebla, Mexico felt a surge of confidence and inspiration, believing they could defeat the French army. However, despite this newfound optimism, they were eventually conquered by France, lost the war, and briefly became a French colony.
In reality, Cinco de Mayo marks a single day of victory in what was otherwise a devastating war for Mexico. While they succeeded in repelling the French for one day, France later brought in reinforcements and decisively crushed the Mexican forces.
A year after the Battle of Puebla, as Californians celebrated the first Cinco de Mayo, Mexico attempted to replicate their earlier success. This time, they failed completely. The French overpowered them, capturing and destroying the Puebla fort by May 17.
Shortly after, the French appointed an Austrian archduke as Mexico’s emperor. Mexico ultimately lost the war. Although they regained independence later, Cinco de Mayo commemorates a battle that led to three years of French rule.
6. The Heroes of Puebla Weren’t Exactly Noble
While the French invaders were far from virtuous, it’s difficult to fully celebrate the men who opposed them. Two individuals were hailed as the heroes of the Battle of Puebla: General Ignacio Zaragoza and Porfirio Diaz.
Zaragoza died of typhoid fever soon after the battle. Diaz, however, lived long enough to build his own legacy—one that makes it challenging to label him a hero.
At the time, Diaz was viewed as a national hero in Mexico. His popularity after the battle propelled him to run for president. However, he wasn’t popular enough to win fairly—historians agree his victory in the 1876 election was rigged.
Once in power, Diaz clung to it for 35 years, becoming a de facto dictator. He denied fair elections and refused to step down, leaving a controversial mark on Mexican history.
In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo’s legacy is complex. While it didn’t prevent French occupation, it paved the way for a dictator to rise shortly after the French were ousted.
5. It’s Not a Celebration of Mexican Culture
Although Cinco de Mayo commemorates a Mexican victory, it isn’t truly a celebration of Mexico itself. The holiday gained more prominence in the US than in Mexico because it reflects how the war impacted the United States.
In many ways, the war was tied to the US. Napoleon III invaded Mexico to take advantage of the US Civil War. By attacking Mexico, he aligned himself with the Confederacy against the Union, aiming to distract Abraham Lincoln and help the Confederates win, thereby gaining them as allies.
Mexico also relied on American assistance to overthrow their French-imposed dictator. After the Civil War, the Union secretly supplied weapons to the Mexican army, which were instrumental in reclaiming Mexico’s freedom.
The Mexican Americans who first observed Cinco de Mayo understood its significance. They kept the tradition alive not only to honor Mexico’s victory but also to celebrate the alliance between the US and Mexico. Most importantly, they were relieved they wouldn’t have to live under the Confederate States of America.
4. Americans Celebrate It Mainly for the Alcohol
Mexican Americans attempted to turn Cinco de Mayo into a celebration of culture. Many others joined this effort. In the 1930s, Franklin Roosevelt aimed to establish Cinco de Mayo as a major US holiday to strengthen ties with Latinos. Later, Mexican-American activists sought to make it a cultural celebration, but these efforts never gained widespread traction.
Cinco de Mayo only gained popularity when alcohol became a central part of the festivities. In fact, the holiday was relatively unknown in the US until 1989, when Corona beer importers in San Antonio saw its potential for profit. They launched ads encouraging Mexican Americans to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with their beer.
The advertisement had a massive impact. It resonated not only with Mexican Americans but also with other Americans, who began celebrating the holiday simply because it offered another excuse to drink heavily without judgment.
3. It Was Never Intended to Be a Party
Forget about drinking and feasting. Historically, Cinco de Mayo wasn’t meant to be a festive occasion. Instead, it was intended as a day for charity and community service.
Before Corona transformed Cinco de Mayo into the alcohol-fueled event it is today, the holiday was a time for Mexican Americans to reflect on and celebrate their heritage. It honored a war that united Mexico and the US against a shared foe and encouraged pride in their dual national identity.
This sense of pride wasn’t expressed through tequila and sombreros but through political activism. During the early years of the festival, Cinco de Mayo primarily served as a day for Mexican-American advocacy groups to organize fundraisers and rallies to support their communities.
So, there you have it. Now you know how to celebrate an authentic, traditional Cinco de Mayo. Call your friends and tell them to skip the tequila. Let them know this year’s celebration will involve an exciting night of door-to-door fundraising.
2. Tacos Aren’t Part of the Tradition
Tacos aren’t an ideal way to honor Mexican culture, either. For starters, they aren’t even Mexican in origin.
While Mexicans do eat something called “tacos,” they’re not what you might imagine. Their tacos use soft tortillas, whereas hard-shell tacos—along with nachos, fajitas, burritos, chimichangas, and most dishes we consider “Mexican food”—are American creations.
There is, however, an official Cinco de Mayo dish, though it’s likely unfamiliar to most. It’s called mole poblano, and it’s nothing like the Mexican food found north of the border. Mole poblano is a rich, dark sauce made from chili peppers, spices, and chocolate, typically served over turkey or chicken and garnished with seeds.
This is the traditional Cinco de Mayo dish from Puebla, though it’s hard to find outside Mexico. The rest of what’s served is as American as apple pie—or perhaps as American as Chinese food.
1. Alcohol Isn’t Part of the Traditional Cinco de Mayo Celebration
Drinking Corona doesn’t align with the true spirit of Cinco de Mayo. The holiday has an official beverage, but it’s neither Corona nor tequila. It’s called agua fresca, and it’s completely nonalcoholic.
Agua fresca is the traditional drink of Cinco de Mayo in Puebla, where the historic battle took place. This refreshing fruit drink is made with strawberries, watermelons, or honeydews, blended with sugar, mint, and water. Reflecting the solemn tone of a holiday that commemorates a lost war, it’s suitable for all ages.
If you’re determined to drink tequila on Cinco de Mayo, chances are you’re not consuming an authentic Mexican drink. Most tequilas in the US are only about half real tequila, with the rest being diluted sugar and flavoring. Additionally, it’s meant to be sipped, not taken as shots with lime and salt.
Yes, that’s correct. You’re even celebrating with alcohol the wrong way.
