CINCO DE MAYO is NOT September 16th

CINCO DE MAYO is NOT September 16th

One of the biggest misconceptions is how people in the United States think the Mexican Independence is celebrated on May 5th and not September 16th.

It is May when we see retail stores and restaurants offering merchandise and specials to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, a holiday rarely celebrated in Mexico. The United States (Los Angeles, to be exact) has the biggest celebration of Cinco de Mayo in the world, whereas, in Mexico, Puebla is one of the few states that celebrate it.

Cinco de Mayo celebrates “La Batalla de Puebla” when Napoleon III invades the state of Puebla in Mexico with his French army. Mexico defaulted on debt with Europe, so France decided to invade and make it a monarchy.

The French army was an undefeated force, so Puebla’s triumph over it made it even more special, a David and Goliath type of fight.

The hero of Cinco de Mayo was Ignacio Zaragoza, who led the Mexican army and defeated the French. Zaragoza was born in Texas, therefore having a connection with the United States.

So, yeah. Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day.

Mexico celebrates its Cry for Independence from Spain the evening of September 15th, and September 16th is the official day of Mexico’s Independence, where a national family-friendly fiesta takes place all over the country with fantastic music, food, and parades.

So next time you are toasting with your margarita on a warm Cinco de Mayo, make sure you know it is a celebration of how Mexico defeated the French in a small battle. (And also, a good excuse for a Mexican fiesta in May).