Top Spots to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo Around the World

Female Dancer Cinco De Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is a vibrant celebration of Mexican culture that takes place on May 5th each year. While the holiday originated in Mexico to commemorate the country’s victory over France in the Battle of Puebla, it has become a beloved event celebrated around the world.

In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is particularly popular among Mexican Americans who use the day to honour their heritage.

If you’re itching to get amongst it all, these locations offer a taste of the excitement and energy that make Cinco de Mayo such a special occasion.

Puebla, Mexico

Cinca De Mayo Mexico
Mexico’s Cinco de Mayo celebrations

The city of Puebla, Mexico is the birthplace of Cinco de Mayo and hosts the country’s biggest celebration of the holiday. The festival lasts for 20 days and includes a military parade, cultural performances, and carnival festivities.

Visitors can witness the reenactment of the famous battle of Puebla, which symbolizes Mexican resistance and victory over the French army. The parade features locals dressed in colourful costumes, riding on horseback, and carrying emblematic banners and flags. In addition to the festivities, visitors can indulge in traditional Pueblan cuisines, such as mole poblano, chiles en nogada, and cemitas. Street vendors also offer a variety of snacks and refreshments, including tacos and elote, a Mexican street corn covered with mayonnaise and seasoned with chilli powder, fresh lime juice, and cotija cheese. The Cinco de Mayo Festival in Puebla is a vibrant and colourful celebration that attracts tourists from all over the world.

Read our comprehensive article on Mexico – including Puebla!

Los Angeles

Los Angeles is home to the largest Cinco de Mayo festival in the USA, the Fiesta Broadway Festival. This classic event has been a staple for three decades, featuring delicious food and a lively street fair. But if you’re not in LA, don’t worry – cities across the US, from San Antonio to Chicago, also host vibrant Cinco de Mayo celebrations.

San Diego

San Diego, in particular, has a special connection to this holiday as it was the first Spanish settlement on the west coast of America. Every year, the Old Town San Diego Historic Park hosts the Fiesta Old Town Cinco, where visitors can enjoy traditional Mexican food at restaurants like Café Coyote and Fred’s Mexican Cafe, as well as watch events like wrestling and Mexican folkloric dances. Don’t forget to visit the Mercado Artesanal for unique crafts and souvenirs!

Australia

Cico De Mayo Australia
Cinco de Mayo celebrations in Bondi Beach

Cinco de Mayo is gaining popularity in Australia each year. Australians enjoy embracing cultural calendar days of other countries, especially when food and drink are involved. If you’re interested in joining the festivities, a quick Google search can help you find events in your city. Restaurants often sell a variety of Mexican snacks and refreshments, such as tacos, elote (a Mexican twist on street corn), and agua fresca and parties can go on for days. May 5th is a great time to experience the vibrant flavors and traditions of Mexico in Australia!

Cinco De mayo in Caribbean
Head to the Cayman Islands for a Cinco de Mayo celebration of a different kind

Cayman Islands

Perhaps most unique of all the Cinco de Mayo celebrations is the annual air guitar competition held at the local Hard Rock Cafe in the Cayman Islands. Live music, American cuisine and much drinking are also on hand. While hardly a celebration of Mexican culture, it is, at the very least, a tribute to liberalisation itself.

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