Sign Up for the Recipe Publishing Newsletter
An Interesting Look at Cinco de Mayo Festival
Much like St. Patrick's Day, Americans have welcomed Cinco de Mayo with open arms, enthusiastically taking up the holiday as their own. Strangely enough, the day is more widely celebrated on our side of the Rio Grande than it is in the country of its origin, but really, it should not be that much of a surprise - if there is one thing, which is true of Americans from coast to coast, it is that we all love a party!
Because the holiday has become so popular in the US, there is a Cinco de Mayo festival held annually in seemingly almost every city nationwide. No matter which part of the country you happen to live in, it's a sure bet that there is some kind of festivities planned in or near your city.
You will find parades, musical and dance performances and of course, parties all over on this day, with some exceptionally large celebrations held in cities, which have a large Mexican-American population. For instance, Los Angeles, California's annual Cinco de Mayo event, the Festival de Fiesta Broadway is the largest Cinco de Mayo festival held anywhere in the world! Portland, Oregon, Chicago, Tampa Bay and San Jose are also home to large and lively Cinco de Mayo celebrations; if you live in or near any of these cities, it is well worth turning out to join in on the fun this May 5th.
If you'd like to attend a Cinco de Mayo event in your area, your best bet is to check your local newspapers or online for details of which festivals are going on near you and where and when to show up. Of course, if there is nothing close enough or you would just rather avoid the crowds, then there is another option: have your own Cinco de Mayo festival at home or get your neighbors involved and throw a block party.
If you are planning to host your own party, then you will want to do a little preparation ahead of time to make sure that your Cinco de Mayo fiesta goes off without a hitch. You can decorate your home in the colors of the Mexican flag - red, white, and green, find Mexican-themed decorations and party favors like miniature maracas, sombreros or even a piņata and find some Mexican music to set an appropriately festive theme for the holiday.
Naturally, no Cinco de Mayo festival would be complete without the really important elements: Mexican food and drink. You could choose to have your party catered, but if you have a knack for cooking, then it is much more fun to prepare your own Mexican dishes for the event. Even if you have never cooked Mexican cuisine before, there are plenty of recipes available online, ranging from appetizers to soups to Mexican dessert recipes. Whether you stay in and have guests over or you decide to attend an official Cinco de Mayo festival, it is sure to be a memorable and festive occasion.
