Cinco De Mayo

Mexico Dept: And here s what Cinco de Mayo is not, despite all the signs in bar windows inviting revelers to drink: It s not Mexico s Independence Day, and it s barely marked in Mexico, except in the state of Puebla, where the holiday is rooted in a complicated and short-lived 1862 military victory over the French, according to The Star. In Houston, ballet folklorico dancers will ring in Cinco de Mayo by stomping to traditional Mexican music in a city park. New York City will close parts of Spanish Harlem and Queens for street fairs as Mexican flags flap from apartment fire escapes and car antennas. Albuquerque honors the day with a Mariachi concert and free cab rides for those who show their love for Mexico with a little too much Dos Equis XX or tequila. Even West Des Moines, Iowa, has an all-day festival with Mexican food, artwork and live music and aLBUQUERQUE, N.M. Here s what Cinco de Mayo has become in the U.S.: a celebration of all things Mexican, from mariachi music to sombreros, marked by schools, politicians and companies selling everything from beans to beer. But don t let that spoil the party. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.