Cinco de Mayo

Early May means it’s time once again to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, the holiday that commemorates the state of Puebla’s victory over the French on May 5th.

What is Cinco de Mayo?

Following the loss of the Mexican-American War in 1848, Mexico was financially and morally defeated. In 1861, President Benito Juarez issued a moratorium in which all foreign-debt payments would be suspended for a period of two years. Furious and eager to collect payment, England, France, and Spain invaded Mexico.

However, unknown to the other countries, France planned to impose a monarchical government upon the nations of Central and South America. Shortly after President Juarez offered a type of promissory note that guaranteed payments on its debt after the two years, England and Spain returned home, but the French continued their siege on Mexico.

On May 5, 1862, Juarez commanded General Ignacio Zaragoza to block the advance of the French forces at the fortified hills of Loreto and Guadalupe near the city of Puebla. With only 2,000 men, most of them local Zacapoaxtla Indians from the Puebla region of Mexico with no formal military training and little weaponry, the locals were able to briefly defeat the French army of 6,000.

The victory was short-lived, and soon after, France conquered Puebla and the rest of Mexico, ruling until 1867. Through a popular revolt, Juarez was finally restored to power, remaining leader of Mexico until he died in 1872.

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo

The first Cinco de Mayo celebrations began in Puebla, Mexico but today the holiday is one enjoyed throughout the US, especially in Texas. Most Texas cities have a day or more of festivities; here’s a look at two of the largest:

AUSTIN: The capital city of Austin hosts the annual Cinco de Mayo Music Festival, featuring an array of activities including Little Cinco, a Jalapeño Eating Contest, and dance contests including Salsa, Jitterbug, Polka and more. On most years, the festival draws from 20-35,000 attendees.

SAN ANTONIO: San Antonio draws about 30,000 to its festivities with food booths at its historic Market Square, street dancing, handicrafts, concerts and other commemorations. Everyone from mariachis and folkloric dancers to Tejano and conjunto groups provide plenty of entertaining activities.