Cinco de Mayo

If you are planning to visit Mexico and want to arrive during a time of festivities then there’s two holidays that will fit your criteria. Cinco de Mayo is a huge Mexican celebration on the 5th of May. A lot of Americans celebrate it. Most call it Mexican Independence Day but it’s far from that. Mexico claimed it’s independence from Spain on September 15, 1810. Cinco de Mayo actually symbolizes something completely different than an independence from Spain. A lot of Americans also celebrate this special day.

Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Mexican Army’s victory over the French at the battle of Puebla. The Mexicans lost the war so their victory wasn’t against the French but more about the victory with in the country as a whole. The fact that Mexico united and stood up for themselves against the French showed great patriotism and inspired many other Latin countries to be willing to defend themselves against intervention. The Mexicans did not win the war but the victory over in Puebla was inspiring for many.

Cinco de Mayo is not a Mexican holiday though. It is more of an American holiday where the Mexican-Americans get together and see this holiday as a time for fun and dance. There’s a fifty year difference between Battle de Puebla and Mexican Independence day from Spain.

September 16th is a perfect day to fit in your tour of Mexico. September 16th is the real Mexican Independence Day. You can visit the city of Zocalo and watch the locals re-enact the call of independence. Make sure you head over to the main plaza where all ages go to party! It is a day full of music, food, and dance. Hundreds of vendors set up serving food in every corner in the city. They make typical foods like guacamole and chips and beverages such as ponche (fruit punch), Men and women dress with typical Mexican fashion like what they wore back in 1810.

Live Mariachi bands entertain hundreds of people in the city squares. A whole ceremony is dedicated to the forefathers and you can hear everyone yelling VIVA MEXICO! The streets are decorated by Mexican flags and lights. The national colors of white, green, and red which are the colors that flood the streets on this day. Both of these holidays are significant to the Mexican culture in one way or another but September 16th is the real Independence Day and shouldn’t be missed by anyone. It’s a day you don’t want to miss if you’re in Mexico.