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Toronto Sun
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
What to know about Cinco de Mayo 2025, and where the holiday came from
Published May 05, 2025 • 4 minute read Folklorico dancers from the group Viva Mexico perform their routine during a Cinco de Mayo celebration and mixer hosted by the Odessa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at the Odessa Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, May 5, 2021, in Odessa, Texas. Photo by Eli Hartman/Odessa American via AP, File / AP This Monday is Cinco de Mayo – a holiday that commemorates a Mexican military victory but has become better known as a celebration of Mexican culture in the United States. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. 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Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account But what does the day actually celebrate, and how will this year's festivities be different? Here's what to know. What are the origins of Cinco de Mayo? Though it's often confused with Mexican Independence Day, Cinco de Mayo marks the victory of a poorly armed group of Mexican forces over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Upon hearing of the victory, Mexican American miners in Columbia, California, are believed to have fired shots into the air in what some historians cite as the first Cinco de Mayo celebration. Despite the Mexican victory at Puebla, it was several more years before France – whose leader Napoleon III had sent between 8,000 and 10,000 troops to Mexico as part of an effort to create a French empire in Latin America – left the country. Celebration styles have shifted over the decades – tinged by immigrant nostalgia in the 1930s and becoming more commercially focused in the 1980s and 1990s – according to David E. Hayes-Bautista, an academic and author of a book on the celebration. But the holiday remains a chance for Mexican Americans to celebrate their culture and identity. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. While Cinco de Mayo is a popular celebration in the United States, it's not a national holiday in Mexico. The city of Puebla holds a parade and reenactment of the battle, but large celebrations aren't common elsewhere. 'To this day, we see the celebration of Cinco de Mayo occur in a much more widespread fashion in the U.S. than we even see in Mexico,' Alexander Aviña, associate professor of Latin American history at Arizona State University, told The Post last year. When is Mexican Independence Day? Mexico's Independence Day is distinct from Cinco de Mayo and is celebrated on Sept. 16. It marks the day in 1810 – more than half a century before the Battle of Puebla – when a Catholic priest named Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla made a famous speech in what is now Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico, calling for a revolution against the Spanish, known as the 'Grito de Dolores' (Cry of Dolores). This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Mexico gained independence from Spain 11 years later. How will Cinco de Mayo be celebrated this year? Cinco de Mayo in the U.S. has come to be known as a day to celebrate Mexican culture, food and identity, with a number of restaurants and bars offering deals and theme nights. Civic organizations are hosting cultural celebrations around the country, with parades and floats, as well as events for children, like pinata-making classes, throughout the weekend leading up to May 5. Some cities kicked off their Cinco de Mayo celebrations last weekend, as Los Angeles did with its Fiesta Broadway music festival. Denver's Cinco de Mayo Festival began on Friday while the D.C. area will be hosting a number of events over the weekend, including the 13th Annual Running of the Chihuahuas, which helps raise funds for Rural Dog Rescue, and Shipgarten's Cinco de Mayo Festival on Saturday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. As awareness of the holiday has grown, so has marketing around it, Aviña told The Post . 'Companies really strived to turn this day into a commercial opportunity, and they've succeeded,' Aviña said. 'Now, it's gone mainstream.' This year, many events across the country are sponsored by brands linked to Mexico. Louisiana's Cinco de Mayo Fest is sponsored by Modelo Beer and Herradura Tequila, while the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta in Portland, Oregon, is sponsored by Cuervo and Victorico's Mexican Food. How is Trump's immigration crackdown affecting the holiday? This year, the deportation blitz that President Donald Trump promised during his campaign has sent waves of unease through immigrant communities, as officers conducted raids across the country, arresting up to 1,179 people a day in late January. More than a dozen U.S. citizens have been swept up in the crackdown, with the true scope unknown because the federal government does not release data on how often U.S. citizens are wrongfully detained or removed from the country. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The charged environment has led some communities to cancel celebrations, including the annual Cinco de Mayo parade in Chicago. Cermak Road Chamber of Commerce President Hector Escobar said in a statement to CBS News that 'our community is very frightened because of the raids and the threat that ICE has imposed on the families that work tirelessly to provide a better future for their kids.' Escobar added that people in the community have 'faced bullying and prosecution and are not indulging in community activities, therefore we feel that there is nothing to celebrate.' Last month, organizers in Philadelphia canceled the annual celebration of Mexican culture Carnaval de Puebla, amid fears of an ICE raid. 'People don't want to participate because of what's going on,' organizer Olga Renteria told the Philadelphia Inquirer in April. 'People worry if they show up for the carnaval and ICE is waiting for them.' 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Newsweek
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Which US Cities Canceled Cinco de Mayo Parades Amid Immigration Crackdown
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Several major cities have canceled Cinco de Mayo celebrations because of increasing fears over President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration. Why It Matters Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday that commemorates Mexico's victory over Napoleon III's French army in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It has become a significant celebration of Mexican culture and heritage in the United States. Trump, who returned to office in January, has vowed to carry out the largest mass deportation program in U.S. history, and his hard-line immigration crackdown has sparked fear within migrant communities. Folklorico dancers from the group Viva Mexico performing their routine during a Cinco de Mayo celebration and mixer hosted by the Odessa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at the Odessa Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in... Folklorico dancers from the group Viva Mexico performing their routine during a Cinco de Mayo celebration and mixer hosted by the Odessa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at the Odessa Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Texas on May 5, 2021. More Odessa American via AP/Eli Hartman What To Know In Chicago, the annual Cinco de Mayo parade, which historically attracts thousands of revelers to the city's vibrant Pilsen neighborhood, was officially called off after city officials expressed concerns about the safety of participants. In south Philadelphia, the Carnaval de Puebla parade, which has been celebrated for decades, was also canceled amid fears of aggressive immigration enforcement. The cancellations come as Immigration and Customs Enforcement ramps up deportation efforts to carry out stricter immigration policies nationwide. In Flint, Michigan, local authorities canceled Saturday's celebrations because of weather concerns. The annual celebration—which was set to feature live music, authentic Mexican food, a mariachi band, family-friendly activities and vendors—was scheduled from noon to 8 p.m. on May 3 in Brush Park, hosted by the Latinx Technology and Community Center. Detroit has resisted calls to cancel its Cinco de Mayo parade. Organizers in the city say they are determined to continue with the celebration despite fears of ICE enforcement. The city's parade is set to take place in southwest Detroit, a historically Latino neighborhood, with local leaders emphasizing the importance of cultural expression and community solidarity. Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, two cities known for their large Latino populations, have similarly vowed to keep their Cinco de Mayo celebrations intact. Despite fears of deportation raids, both cities are proceeding with their parades, though organizers are making additional safety measures available to protect participants. What People Are Saying Hector Escobar, the president of Casa Puebla and the Cermak Road Chamber of Commerce, told the Chicago Sun-Times: "People are afraid. They're afraid to even go to work." He told ABC 7: "See, some of them, they don't even want to go to work and some of them, they've taken a high risk. And, definitely, it's not much to celebrate." Latinx Technology and Community Center wrote on Facebook: "We're sad to share that, due to the forecasted inclement weather, we've made the difficult decision to cancel our Cinco de Mayo celebration. The safety and comfort of our community are always our top priorities, and we truly appreciate your understanding. We look forward to seeing you at our next community celebration." Mayor Melvin Carter of St. Paul, Minnesota, told Fox 9: "We're staying on the alert, obviously, we're staying vigilant. … We've been very clear that you'll never see our St. Paul police officers serve as ICE agents, and that's really critical to us as a community." What Happens Next Cinco de Mayo celebrations are scheduled to take place across the U.S. on Monday.
USA Today
30-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Brandon Moreno raises hand for UFC 320 pay-per-view in Guadalajara: 'I can be the main event'
MEXICO CITY – Brandon Moreno held the 'Viva Mexico' in for too long. Saturday, he finally let it out. In the UFC on ESPN 64 main event, Moreno (24-8-2 MMA, 12-4-2 UFC) defeated Steve Erceg (12-5 MMA, 3-4 UFC) by unanimous decision. The victory was his first on home soil in the UFC and his first overall since his third pro bout in January 2012. 'Man, I have so many emotions, man,' Moreno told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. 'The first time I fought here was 2017 against Sergio Pettis. It was a main event and I lost. I've been holding this 'Viva Mexico' for so long, and I finally did it tonight. I'm just happy, man. I'm just enjoying this moment. I felt all the fight week, everything feels just different. I have experience. I have the energy. At the end, I just executed. So I'm happy.' Moreno turned a solo win over Amir Albazi in November into a two-fight winning streak. In a division where contendership is largely up for grabs, Moreno thinks he may have done enough to headline the freshly announced UFC 320 event, Sept. 13 in Guadalajara, Mexico. 'How confident I am?' Moreno said. 'I don't even know. I know nothing right now. I'm just happy, enjoying the moment. I saw Hunter and he looked very happy with the people, with the crowd. That's the thing. Who knows how much I move the needle? Maybe not too much. Flyweights, always with the same problem. That's crazy. But I really believe every single time I step in the octagon, the people go crazy. That's the fact. Let's see what happens.' '…. That's the goal. Guadalajara, I think it's perfect. Even for the UFC, for the promotion. If they want to get a pay-per-view event for Noche UFC in September in Guadalajara, I think I'm the right choice. … I feel today I have enough arguments to raise my hand and say, 'Hey, I can be the main event, the pay-per-vie in Guadalajara in September.' The status of the next title fight at flyweight in the UFC is unknown. Champion Alexandre Pantoja was rumored to face Kai Kara-France in April in Miami but that fight is not happening then. Now, it's rumored for June in Newark, N.J. – which remains to be seen. For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.
