Cinco de Mayo, always observed on May 5, falls on a Tuesday this year, so the celebration of Mexican heritage and culture starts this weekend in many cities, including a districtwide celebration in Bradenton’s Village of the Arts on Friday and Saturday.
Shops and galleries throughout the Village of the Arts — already known for hosting its Festival of Skeletons honoring Dia de los Muertos every fall — will offer special sales and events during its Cinco de Mayo celebration on both days from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will also be family-friendly activities, live music and pop-up vendors in the district.
Other observances include:
Cinco de Mayo marks Mexico’s 1862 victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla, when an outnumbered Mexican army pulled off an unlikely win.
The date is often mistaken for Mexico’s Independence Day, which actually falls on Sept. 16 — decades after independence from Spain was secured.
While May 5 is an official holiday in Mexico, celebrations there are generally modest and largely centered in Puebla, where parades and ceremonies commemorate the battle. In contrast, the holiday has grown into a major cultural and commercial event in the United States.
Cinco de Mayo celebrations here date back to Mexican American communities in California in the years following the Battle of Puebla. The holiday spread nationwide during the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and expanded further in the late 20th century, evolving into the widely observed — and often party-focused — occasion seen today.
Are you planning an event this spring? Feature it, so nearby readers see it all across Patch — including in roundups like this!
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
St. Pete, FL Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.