Cinco De Mayo: Whose Holiday Is It, Anyway?

*Two things come to mind: Cinco de Mayo is celebrated more in the U.S. than in Mexico, and the celebration here is more about beer and marketing. It can be a stark realization for a U.S. Latino traveling to Mexico in search of Cinco de Mayo. VL

By NPR Code Switch

Across the country this weekend, Cinco de Mayo will be celebrated with festivals, music, Mexican food and plenty of bar specials.

But south of the border, the holiday merits little more than a parade in the city of Puebla, east of Mexico City. There, in 1862, outgunned Mexican troops defeated an invading French army.

Lesley Tellez writes about Mexican food and culture for The Mija Chronicles online. She says that when she moved from Southern California to Mexico City, she looked forward to Cinco de Mayo. But she was the only one looking for a party.

Click HERE to read the full story.

[Photo by John Maynard/Flickr]

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