Home Today Is 47% Of All Drinks Ordered On Cinco De Mayo Are Margaritas

47% Of All Drinks Ordered On Cinco De Mayo Are Margaritas

Cinco De Mayo’s deeply rooted history in the Franco-Mexican War influenced Mexican-Mexican American communities in the early years of the American Civil War. In the early 1860s, as the Civil War erupted, these communities took up the banner of the Cinco De Mayo celebration as a way to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy. Today, in the United States, Americans celebrate Mexican-American heritage and pride annually on May 5th.

  • Cinco de Mayo is Spanish for “fifth of May.”
  • President Franklin D. Roosevelt enacted something called the “Good Neighbor Policy,” which was meant to improve relations with Latin American countries and communities. It was under this policy that Cinco de Mayo began to pick up steam in the 1950s and 60s, eventually becoming a national holiday.
  • Many people believe that Cinco de Mayo marks Mexico gaining independence as a country, similar to Independence Day in the U.S. Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for May 5) celebrates the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.
  • The actual Mexican Independence Day is celebrated on September 16.
  • Napoleon III had a specific interest in taking over Puebla.  He wanted to turn the Puebla area into a base that would help the Confederate Army during the American Civil War.
  • The anniversary of the Battle of Puebla was declared a national holiday referred to as “Battle of Puebla Day” or “Battle of Cinco de Mayo” by President Benito Juárez on May 9, 1862. However, it’s no longer considered a national holiday in Mexico.
  • In addition to the normal stuff, Chandler, AZ celebrates Cinco de mayo with Chihuahua races. Chihuahua owners enter their pups in a race and receive a large cash prize if their dog is the fastest.
  • Washington DC holds its own Running of the Chihuahuas, a breed native to Mexico.
  • Many cities around the country, including Denver, Colorado, hold an annual Chihuahua Race in honor of Cinco de Mayo. The race in Denver is so popular that around 400,000 people are estimated to attend it every year.
  • Mariachi originated in Jalisco, Mexico, in the 19th century. The musicians would travel from town to town singing songs of revolutionary heroes and enemies and carrying news from one place to another.
  • Mole poblano is considered to be the official dish of the holiday because it is traditionally eaten in the town of Puebla. It’s a sauce containing chili pepper, chocolate, and spices.
  • The Cayman Islands in the Caribbean don’t exactly stick to tradition for their celebrations. They hold an annual air guitar competition.
  • Like the Cayman Islands, Canada celebrates in it’s own way too. Vancouver does something called a “skydiving boogie” which is an air show that involves aerial acrobatics.
  • May 5th is also the anniversary of when NASA launched the first American-manned space flight (1961) and the opening of Carnegie Hall (1891).
  • May 5th is a huge day for avocado sales. The California Avocado Commission reports that 87 million pounds of avocados are purchased for Cinco de Mayo celebrations alone. That’s a lot of guac.
  • Americans consume about 4.5 billion tacos per year.
  • As for cervezas (Spanish for “beer”), Americans consumed almost a billion liters of Corona Extra in 2014.
  • In the 1980s, beer companies, particularly Corona, recognized there were profits to be made on Cinco de Mayo through selling beer to the rising Latino population in the United States. “Through a series of well-received advertisements, Corona helped transform Cinco de Mayo into an all-day happy hour celebration, encouraging the growing Mexican and Mexican-American population to celebrate their heritage on May 5 by purchasing Mexican beer,”
  • Not surprisingly, 47% of all drinks ordered on Cinco de Mayo are margaritas. Tequila sales easily double within the week leading up to this infamous holiday. But, long ago this beloved Mexican alcohol couldn’t be enjoyed by all Mexican people. Centuries ago, Aztec priests used to make a milky beer-like drink from the agave plant called pulque. Only the priests could consume this precursor of tequila, which after a steep decline is slowly beginning to make a comeback.
  • Ten States Consume More Tequila Than Any Others. And those badass states include – New York, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Colorado, Nevada, California, Arkansas, and of course, Texas

Sources:

National Day Calendar

Good Housekeeping

Make It Grateful

RD

Tastemade