What is actually celebrated on May 5th?

Why is Cinco de Mayo celebrated as the big Mexican holiday? Cinco de Mayo became “huge” outside of Mexico because of a mix of migrant history + cultural politics + marketing, and over time a simplified idea of “Mexican-ness” was created. One that was easier to export than other dates.

So when do Mexicans actually celebrate our real national holiday? Our true Mexican celebration is September 16th, Mexico’s Independence Day, “El Grito.” 

May 5th is commemorated on the civic calendar as the Battle of Puebla (1862) an important and symbolic victory against the French army.

It’s like if, in other countries, people wanted to celebrate July 1st (Canada Day) on Victoria Day, or Labour Day, or Remembrance Day, just as an example.

That’s why, for many people in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is “just another day” (or a civic ceremony), and not the main national holiday.

But why did this idea of Cinco de Mayo as “the big Mexican celebration” grow so much in the United States?

In the U.S., and later in Canada, it became a useful date for Mexican-American identity.

In the 20th century, especially in the 1960s, Cinco de Mayo was adopted by Chicano/Mexican-American activists as a celebration of pride and identity. The battle of Puebla carried a powerful message: resistance against a foreign power. And we believe this was one of the big reasons this date was celebrated in the U.S., because it was a war that was won; that connected with struggles for civil rights and cultural dignity. Cinco de Mayo remembers one of Mexico’s most emblematic victories: the Battle of Puebla. Even when the outlook was difficult, the Mexican army prevailed under the command of General Ignacio Zaragoza. Important historical figures who would later become very significant also took part in that battle, such as Porfirio Díaz.

This battle took place during the Second French Intervention. It all began when, in 1861, President Benito Juárez announced the suspension of foreign debt payments. That decision led to the formation of an alliance between France, Spain, and the United Kingdom, which sought to intervene in Mexico.

Much later, it was seen as a “perfect” date for others to join in. Unlike September 16th (which is a very specific Mexican national date), Cinco de Mayo gradually turned into a “bridge festival” (bicultural): it allowed non-Mexican people to participate in “celebrating Mexican culture” without having to understand the full history of the Independence of Mexico.

Although in Mexico the victory in Puebla is a very important civic commemoration, because it represents the defense of the country against a foreign invader, in the United States it is celebrated with special intensity and here are several reasons:

One reason is historical: just five years after the battle, in 1867, a group of Mexicans commemorated the historic victory in Texas, a place associated with the birth of Ignacio Zaragoza. From then on, Cinco de Mayo grew as a symbol of identity and resistance, especially among Mexican communities in the north who faced pressure and influence from foreign governments.

Another reason is that later, in 1930, the Mexican consulate in Los Angeles, California, organized a formal celebration, which helped give it a more official character and consolidate it as part of the identity of Mexicans and Latin Americans in the United States.

Later came commercialization in the 1980s: alcohol + food and partying = mass popularity.

In the 1980s, major brands especially beer and tequila pushed huge campaigns, and Cinco de Mayo became, for many people, a day of parties and alcohol consumption. That’s when the meaning shifted from civic-cultural to a “party holiday,” helping it become widely recognized and creating this false idea that it is Mexico’s most important celebration.

At Gaxiola Mexican Restaurant, we love sharing these stories because Cinco de Mayo isn’t just a date to “party”: it’s a reminder of bravery, pride, and memory; it’s identity, and it’s respect for those who defended Mexico when it seemed impossible. Yes, we commemorate it… but we do it as Mexicans, with our hearts focused on its true meaning not on what is trendy, or someone else’s version of who we are.

And I also want to share something important: Mexico’s biggest celebration, the one that represents us as a nation is September 16th, Independence Day… ¡El Grito! That is our greatest date, the one that reminds us where we come from and why we keep raising our voices with pride, the one that makes us shout “¡Viva México!” with all our hearts.

If you celebrate Cinco de Mayo, I invite you with love to do it with awareness: every date has its history and its importance, and when we truly understand them, we celebrate them better. Because throughout history, trends in the United States have tried to dictate our story, in their own way changing the focus, simplifying it, or commercialize it, but our culture can’t be explained through stereotypes or reduced to a trend.

And now that you know the difference between these dates and why each one matters, let’s celebrate them together! With pride, with joy, and with respect for our history. Because in the end, the most beautiful part of our traditions isn’t just the party: it’s sharing, building community, sitting at the table, learning from one another, and celebrating from a place of love. Here at Gaxiola, that’s what we love most: that every date becomes an opportunity to come together, to respect each other, and to say from the heart… how beautiful it is to be part of this culture!

And well, family… this is your friend Gaxolotl speaking from Gaxiola News.

See you at the restaurant and you know: whenever you want to learn something beautiful about Mexico… Gaxolotl will tell you all about it.