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Cinco de Mayo in United States

Quick Facts

'Cinco de Mayo' means "Fifth of May" in Spanish and is a festival of Mexican pride and heritage.

Local names

NameLanguage
Cinco de MayoEnglish
Cinco de MayoSpanish

Cinco de Mayo 2013

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Cinco de Mayo 2014

Monday, May 5, 2014
List of dates for other years

Cinco de Mayo is annually observed on May 5, the anniversary of a victory in 1862 in the fight for independence from French forces. It is a festival of Mexican pride and heritage in the United States.

Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is a day of Mexican pride and heritage.

©iStockphoto.com/pius99

What do people do?

Cinco de Mayo is seen as a day to celebrate the culture, achievements and experiences of people with a Mexican background, who live in the United States. There is a large commercial element to the day, with businesses promoting Mexican services and goods, particularly food, drinks and music. Other aspects of the day center around traditional symbols of Mexican life, such as the Virgin de Guadalupe, and Mexican-Americans who have achieved fame, fortune and influence in the United States.

One of the largest Cinco de Mayo celebrations are in cities such as Los Angeles, San Jose, San Francisco, San Antonio, Sacramento, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Denver and El Paso in the USA's south-western regions. In these cities, a large proportion of the population has Mexican origins. Many people hang up banners and school districts organize lessons and special events to educate their pupils about the culture of Americans of Mexican descent. In some areas, particularly in Pubelo de Los Angeles, celebrations of regional Mexican music and dancing are held.

Public life

Cinco de Mayo is not a federal holiday in the United States. Organizations, businesses and schools are open as usual. Public transit systems run on their usual schedule. In some areas of some cities, especially those in the Southwest, local parades and street events may cause some local congestion to traffic.

Background

Cinco de Mayo officially commemorates the anniversary of an early victory by Mexican forces over French forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. It is not the anniversary of the defeat and expulsion of the French forces by the Mexicans, which occurred in 1867. It is also not, as is often assumed, the day of Mexico's celebrations of independence, which are actually held on September 16. It is believed that the origins of Cinco de Mayo celebrations lie in the responses of Mexicans living in California in the 1860s to French rule in Mexico at that time.

Cinco de Mayo Observances

WeekdayDateYearNameHoliday typeWhere it is observed
SatMay 51990Cinco de MayoObservance 
SunMay 51991Cinco de MayoObservance 
TueMay 51992Cinco de MayoObservance 
WedMay 51993Cinco de MayoObservance 
ThuMay 51994Cinco de MayoObservance 
FriMay 51995Cinco de MayoObservance 
SunMay 51996Cinco de MayoObservance 
MonMay 51997Cinco de MayoObservance 
TueMay 51998Cinco de MayoObservance 
WedMay 51999Cinco de MayoObservance 
FriMay 52000Cinco de MayoObservance 
SatMay 52001Cinco de MayoObservance 
SunMay 52002Cinco de MayoObservance 
MonMay 52003Cinco de MayoObservance 
WedMay 52004Cinco de MayoObservance 
ThuMay 52005Cinco de MayoObservance 
FriMay 52006Cinco de MayoObservance 
SatMay 52007Cinco de MayoObservance 
MonMay 52008Cinco de MayoObservance 
TueMay 52009Cinco de MayoObservance 
WedMay 52010Cinco de MayoObservance 
ThuMay 52011Cinco de MayoObservance 
SatMay 52012Cinco de MayoObservance 
SunMay 52013Cinco de MayoObservance 
MonMay 52014Cinco de MayoObservance 
TueMay 52015Cinco de MayoObservance 
ThuMay 52016Cinco de MayoObservance 
FriMay 52017Cinco de MayoObservance 
SatMay 52018Cinco de MayoObservance 
SunMay 52019Cinco de MayoObservance 
TueMay 52020Cinco de MayoObservance 

Other holidays in May 2013 in United States

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