Do Mexicans celebrate Cinco de Mayo? YES! And so do many others!
Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican patriotic celebration that has been adopted by many people in the United States as a festive holiday for both the Hispanic and the general markets. May 5th is a celebration to signify the victory of the Mexican army over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Cinco de Mayo is commonly mistaken as the Mexican Independence Day, which is actually on September 16th.
Above all, this date represents a symbol of Mexican and Latin American unity and patriotism. In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated with parades, carnivals, civic events, and even with live representations of the battle. In contrast, the U.S., adopted this celebration in the early 1930’s. Furthermore, Cinco de Mayo became a celebration in southwestern towns and cities with a high Mexican population. During the 1960s, the Chicano Movement adopted Cinco de Mayo as a celebration of Mexican culture. Since then it has evolved into a bi-cultural holiday that expresses the Mexican-American identity.
For Spanish-dominant Hispanics, Cinco de Mayo represents an opportunity to celebrate their patriotism and identity. Across the country carnivals, street celebrations, and concerts take place on May 5th, and in some cases they last for more than two days, such as: Celebración del 5 de Mayo en la Placita Olvera (Los Angeles), The National Cinco de Mayo Festival at the National Mall (Washington D.C.), and the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta (Portland, Oregon).
During the 1980s, a commercialization process took over the Cinco de Mayo celebration; the alcohol industry began to market this day to promote alcohol consumption among all segments of the U.S. adult population, and especially among young adults.