Celebrate Mexican and Mexican American culture with these Cinco de Mayo traditions
15 Cinco de Mayo Traditions Everyone Can Participate In
Updated on Mar. 17, 2025
Learn what Cinco de Mayo is really all about
Cinco de Mayo commemorates the day in 1862 when the Mexican army pulled off an astounding victory over Napoleon III’s army at the Battle of Puebla, which took place in the first year after the French invaded Veracruz. (This was the start of the Franco-Mexican War, which lasted until 1867.) Although Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Puebla and Veracruz with battle reenactments, parades and feasts, it’s not a national Mexican holiday—but in the U.S., we celebrate Mexican and Mexican American culture on this day.
Make guacamole
Avocados originated in South Central Mexico, and the United States has embraced them wholeheartedly. In fact, it’s estimated that Americans consumed around 81 million pounds of avocados for Cinco de Mayo. Holy guacamole, indeed!
Listen to Mexican corridos
Around the time of the Franco-Mexican War, the most popular music in Mexico was corridos—long ballads that addressed political issues, celebrated great deeds and told heroic stories. They’ve since evolved into tales of the Mexican experience in the U.S. In addition to corridos, listen to other music of Mexican origin, such as Ranchera, Mariachi, or Tejano music, which evolved among the Mexican population in South and Central Texas.
Put together a party playlist
Billboard recommends putting some popular Mexican songs from a variety of genres on your Cinco de Mayo playlist. You may also want to include songs that name-check the holiday, such as “Isis” by Bob Dylan, which mentions the “fifth day of May,” and “Cinco de Mayo” by War.
Experience Mexican dance
Mexico has several forms of traditional dance, such as Danza and Mestizo. The national dance is the Jarabe Tapatio—more commonly known as the Mexican Hat Dance. Historically it was for courting, but today it’s done at celebrations like birthday parties.
Make plans to see the Battle of Puebla
In the town of Puebla, Mexico, the origin of Cinco de Mayo, locals dress up as Mexican and French soldiers and reenact the Battle of Puebla. You can also enjoy traditional dances, great food, Mariachi music, and colorful dress and decorations.
Attend one of the largest Cinco de Mayo parties in the U.S.
The Festival de Fiesta Broadway in Los Angeles draws hundreds of thousands of people for a raucous and culturally accurate celebration of Mexican culture, history and heritage.
Make time for tacos
One of the best Cinco de Mayo traditions, according to Aarón Sánchez—chef and owner of Johnny Sánchez Mexican restaurant in New Orleans, a host of the Food Network’s Chopped, and a judge on Fox’s MasterChef—is to enjoy a true icon of traditional Mexican food: the taco. One of Sánchez’s favorites is his own skirt steak taco, which he serves with grilled avocado (see below on why you should indulge in avocado on Cinco de Mayo). Bonus points if you serve them with a side of humor by shelling out some taco puns.
Head out to a real Mexican restaurant
Cinco de Mayo is a perfect day to try out one of our nation’s 49,000-plus Mexican restaurants. Your best bet for discovering the delights of true Mexican cuisine is to find a restaurant with a Mexican American chef and/or owner.
Whip up your own Mexican feast
To get you started, here are some recipes for authentic Mexican appetizers. And while you’re cooking, feel free to indulge in a Mexican beer (see below) or a nice margarita. These days, you don’t even need to be a mixologist in order to whip up the perfect marg, thanks to pre-mixed varieties. We’re partial to Rancho La Gloria’s Ready-to-Drink Lime Margarita, which is the perfect mix of tart and sweet.
Enjoy a cerveza
Historians believe that the first Cinco de Mayo celebrations were political rallies held by Mexican Americans to generate support for Mexico during the Franco-Mexican War. But it wasn’t until President Franklin D. Roosevelt enacted the Good Neighbor Policy in 1933 that Cinco de Mayo began evolving into the colorful cultural celebration it is today. Of course, Mexican beer companies—notably Corona—have spent millions boosting the day’s profile.
Gain some tequila knowledge
Tequila is Mexico’s most popular spirit, according to Forbes, and drinking tequila is a time-honored way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. For extra credit, try this trivia: Tequila is named for the town of Tequila, Mexico, which was founded in 1530 by Franciscan monks and is the place where the Cuervo family first produced tequila in 1795 under a royal permit from King Carlos IV of Spain.
Go skydiving
A Cinco de Mayo tradition for Mexicans living in Vancouver, Canada, skydiving is another option for Cinco de Mayo. Just make sure to wear red, white and green (the colors of the Mexican flag) to keep your experience true to this tradition.
Read some classic Mexican literature
Consider Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, The Labyrinth of Solitude and Other Writings by Octavio Paz or one of these other books by Latinx authors. If you’re more in the mood for a movie, check out the celluloid version of Like Water for Chocolate.
Be respectful
When it comes to figuring out the best Cinco de Mayo traditions, enjoy the day, but be sensitive, suggests Latina.com: Don’t don a sombrero or fake mustache, don’t think of the day as “Cinco de Drinko” and be sure to sample some true Mexican culture.
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Sources:
- The Guardian: “Puebla in the Spotlight: Month-long Celebrations Begin for Cinco de Mayo”
- First Call Logistics: “Cinco de Mayo Special: The Avocado Market Is Heating Up”
- IBISWorld: “Mexican Restaurants in the US – Number of Businesses 2005–2026”
- VinePair: “How Corona Made Cinco de Mayo an American Holiday”
- Forbes: “Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Tequila”
- Globe Newswire: “100 Million Americans Expected to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo This Year”
- National Park Service: “Corridos: Stories Told Through Song”
- Billboard: “10 Songs You Need in Your Cinco de Mayo Spotify Playlist”
- Britannica: “Jarabe”
- Celebration Joy: “Cinco de Mayo: Enchanting Traditions and Activities”
- Taste Made: “13 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Cinco de Mayo”
