Who celebrates Cinco de Mayo on May 8th instead of May 5th? Kentuckians: Opinion

Adolfo (Ben) Ruiz
·2 min read

Who are the Americans who celebrate Cinco de Mayo every year —a holiday that is celebrated more in the U.S. than in Mexico? My answer is that there are three types of people: Party goers, history buffs and Kentuckians!

Party goers who love beer, tacos and family fun

Cinco de Mayo in 2013 was the first year that Cinco de Mayo was celebrated in Louisville’s Fourth Street Live. Before then, organizers feared it would be overshadowed by the Kentucky Derby due to both celebrations falling in the same early weekend in May. It has since been celebrated every Sunday after Derby as part of the Kentucky Derby Festival although it has been celebrated for 160 years all over North America and now in many parts of the world. That same year, in 2013, over $600 million in beer was purchased for Cinco de Mayo in the U.S. This was more than the beer purchased for the Super Bowl or St. Patrick’s Day!

History buffs who are not fans of Napolean III

Another important reason why Cinco de Mayo is celebrated more in the U.S. than it is celebrated in Mexico is that the defeat of the French invasion impacted the American Civil War because the French Army was on its way north to supply weapons to the Confederate Army. Plus, it’s a fact that since this defeat no other European military has since invaded North America. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in large part because of this resounding victory over the French when the Mexican Army’s 4,000 defeated the French Army’s 8,000 at the Battle of Puebla, Mexico (which had not known defeat for 50 years).

Proud Kentuckians

The Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Celebration first started in California in 1863 one year after the Battle of Puebla—and now it’s celebrated here in Louisville each year as a FREE Family Fiesta at 4th St Live on “Cinco Sunday”—right after The Kentucky Derby! For details: www.CincoAt4thSt.org.

Y’all come, you here?

Adolfo (Ben) Ruiz is CEO of Adhawks, LLC and founder of the Louisville Latino Council (Mayor’s Office for Globalization).
Adolfo (Ben) Ruiz is CEO of Adhawks, LLC and founder of the Louisville Latino Council (Mayor’s Office for Globalization).

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Who celebrates Cinco de Mayo on May 8th instead of May 5th? Kentuckians