Cinco de Mayo is mistakenly considered Mexico’s Independence Day. May 5th is not even a holiday in Mexico. It commemorates the anniversary of the victory of Mexican forces over French forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The partying is far more energetic in the U.S. than in Mexico. Beer companies, tequila makers and college students have long used the celebration as an excuse for a party. It still is.
Jalapeno eating contests are only the beginning of the merriment. Some restaurants and bars hold Chihuahua races; others set up piñatas, filled with goodies, for kids and grown-ups to take a whack at; and sombreros and mustaches are the costume of choice. Look at it as a Mexican St. Paddy’s day.
The Lake Tahoe region has one of the best concentrations of Cinco de Mayo events surrounding the lake. Everything from lake-level feasts and eating contests to high-altitude mountaintop activities at Squaw Valey. Virtually every restaurant and bar surrounding the lake will have meal specials with free appetizers and all-day happy hours on May 5th and most started celebrating five days ago.
A quick scan of the Web shows events across the country. More jalapeno eating contests are held than I could have imagined. There are parties, dances, parades and happy hours from coast to coast. South Bend, Ind., has concerts and dances. New York has parades. Davenport, outside of San Jose, has salsa lessons and cultural programs. Miami, Fla., with a very limited Mexican influence, has celebrations with fajitas and tacos rather than ropa vieja and yucca. Even spots like Ithaca, N.Y., have evenings full of activities.
In reality, this is one party that no one needs to travel very far to find. Even with Swine Flu mania in full force this weekend, only a handful of paraged and parties were canceled. Many will be relying on the juice of the agave plant to provide a cure or serve as a vaccine.
Charlie Leocha is the President of Travelers United. He has been working in Washington, DC, for the past 14 years with Congress, the Department of Transportation, and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 through 2018.
