Top 15 Cinco de Mayo Fun Facts: Uncover the Surprising Secrets of This Festive Celebration!

1. Gringos, Amigos, and Fiestas

When the gringos outnumber the amigos in a fiesta: Cinco de Mayo isn't a full-blown national holiday in Mexico, but Puebla state does hold the fort in commemorating its pivotal Battle of Puebla. The battle's underdog success story resonated with Chicano activists in the 1960s, who introduced the holiday in the United States, where today cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston host massive celebrations complete with parades and a smorgasbord of Mexican delicacies.
Source => wane.com

2. Margaritas and History Books

Get ready to swap that margarita for a history book, folks: Cinco de Mayo actually commemorates Mexico's surprising victory over French troops in the Battle of Puebla, instilling national pride and preventing French support for the Confederacy during the tumultuous years of the American Civil War. Cheers to that!
Source => ktsm.com

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=> Fun Facts about Hispanic-Heritage-Month

3. Monumental Mexican "Capture the Flag"

In a monumental game of "Capture the Flag" Mexican-style, David gave Goliath a proper slap with a surprising plot twist: On Cinco de Mayo in 1862, General Ignacio Zaragoza's small Mexican army, consisting of 2,000-5,000 soldiers, successfully defended the town of Puebla against General Charles de Lorencez's larger, better-equipped French forces, eventually leading to the French withdrawal six years later and making Cinco de Mayo a celebration of this underdog victory in the state of Puebla.
Source => history.com

4. Habsburgs in Mexico

Move over, Avril Lavigne, because in 1860s Mexico, it was more like "Why'd you have to go and make things so Habsburg?": Though France lost the Battle of Puebla – the event honoring Cinco de Mayo – they ultimately installed Maximilian von Habsburg as Mexico's ruler, but their reign was short-lived due to shifting European conflicts and US pressure.
Source => history.com

5. Californians' Soiree Formula

Before guac was extra and Margaritas were fashionably salt-rimmed, those hard-working Californians had already found the perfect soiree formula: Celebrate a Mexican battle, but make it fun! The hidden agenda behind Cinco de Mayo: Originally commemorated in California in 1863, the holiday highlights the Mexican victory against the French in the Battle of Puebla while also promoting awareness and support for Benito Juárez's forces. Over time, the day has become an essential part of Mexican American civil rights movements, with festivities showcasing Puebla's rich culture through dance, literature, and cuisine – proving that cultural pride and joy can be served on the same festive platter.
Source => nytimes.com

6. Not the Mexican St. Patrick's Day

Hold onto your sombreros and swap out your green beer for a margarita: Cinco de Mayo isn't the Mexican St. Patrick's Day as many might think, but rather a day honoring the Mexican army's triumph over the French forces in the Battle of Puebla back in 1862.
Source => complex.com

7. Tequila Consumption Record

When life hands you limes, make margaritas: Cinco de Mayo takes the cake - or should we say, the shot - for being the holiday with the highest tequila consumption in the United States, according to the IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.
Source => local10.com

8. French Action Film, Mexican Edition

Picture your classic French action-adventure film, and you might be surprised to find the heroes are nowhere near la tour Eiffel; instead, they're losing bravely at the Battle of Puebla, south of the border: Cinco de Mayo doesn't celebrate Mexican Independence Day, but rather their momentous victory over the French in 1862. Fiestas Patrias, or Independence Day, sashays in on September 16, and while Cinco de Mayo isn't a federal holiday in Mexico, it's become quite the soiree in the United States, thanks to its embrace by California in the late 1800s, which eventually led to its cultural significance during the Chicano Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
Source => indianahistory.org

9. Mistaken Fiestas: Siesta Vs. Fiesta

In a baffling case of mistaken fiestas, Cinco de Mayo has reached peak party status in the US, while taking more of a siesta in its homeland: Interestingly, it's not a federal holiday in Mexico, but is still celebrated in Puebla where the famous Battle of Puebla occurred, often observed with military parades, speeches, and reenactments, while the US versions focus on Latino culture and heritage with a side of tacos and salsa dancing.
Source => washingtonpost.com

10. Fiesta Broadway: Cinco de Abril

Move over May 5th, there's a new show in town with its very own brand of calendar rebellion: Los Angeles celebrates Cinco de Mayo with a larger-than-life festival called Fiesta Broadway in late April, outnumbering any other Mexican holiday celebrations in the country and treating revelers to a smorgasbord of authentic dishes, live performances, and folk dances that put the "fun" in "Battle of Puebla commemoration."
Source => rove.me

11. Beer Giants' Cinco de Mayo Influence

Forget "Dilly Dilly" and say "Viva la Cerveza": In the 1980s, beer giants Anheuser-Busch and Miller helped to popularize Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the United States by establishing Hispanic marketing departments and sponsoring Cinco de Mayo events, even though a boozy 1989 Anheuser-Busch party ended in a riot and criticism from Latino activists - but to this day, the marketing strategy lives on, making Cinco de Mayo a major beer-drinking fiesta in America!
Source => businessinsider.com

12. Mexico's Biggest Fiesta? Not Quite

Think Mexico's biggest fiesta is Cinco de Drinko? Think again, party people: Cinco de Mayo isn't a federal holiday in Mexico and is mainly celebrated in the state of Puebla, where the Battle of Puebla took place. Though it's a symbol of Mexican heritage in the US, Mexico doesn't go all-out with military parades or battle reenactments.
Source => history.com

13. Puebla: The Cinco de Mayo Epicenter

Hold onto your sombreros, amigos, because the Cinco de Mayo fiesta isn’t as widespread in Mexico as the endless margaritas have led us to believe: In fact, the actual celebration is mainly concentrated in the town of Puebla, where the Battle of Puebla took place. This victorious day, now observed across many parts of the United States, showcases the vibrant Mexican culture through music, food, arts, and yes, possibly a margarita or two!
Source => nafme.org

14. World Tamale Eating Championship

When Lake Lewisville isn't swimming in fish, it's drowning in tamales: This Texan lake, famed for its exceptional fishing opportunities, doubled as the battleground for the World Tamale Eating Championship in 2005, where the victor, Levi Oliver, inhaled a whopping 36 tamales in just 12 minutes and 30 seconds, snagging a tasty $1,000 prize.
Source => majorleagueeating.com

15. Phoenix Festival's Fiesta Extravaganza

Get ready for a fiesta filled with peppy sounds, dancing feet, and a food truck fleet: The Cinco de Mayo Phoenix Festival, set for May 7th, 2023, brings Grammy winners Los Lonely Boys, Latin Breed, and Lakeside to dazzle the main stage, baile folklórico dancers to twirl their skirts, and Phoenix's finest food trucks to fill your bellies, while VIPs enjoy both private perks and a chance to meet the stars, all the while nurturing the future of young Hispanic students with scholarships from Arvizu and Grand Canyon University as the cherry on the guacamole-topped cake.
Source => cincophx.com