Cinco de Mayo is here. Many will be celebrating the holiday with margaritas and Mexican food. Here are five facts about the Mexican holiday that you can use to impress your friends.
1) Despite a common misconception, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day. The holiday celebrates the Battle of Puebla, where, against all odds, the Mexicans made a stand against an invading French army in 1862.
2) Cinco de Mayo is celebrated more in the United States than it is in Mexico, with the exception of the city of Puebla. Mexico holds more of a celebration on its Independence Day, September 16, than it does on Cinco de Mayo.
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3) The holiday means big business for the avocado industry. The California Avocado Commission says that Americans consume around 81 million avocados during Cinco de Mayo.
4) Chandler, Ariz., has a unique way of celebrating Cinco de Mayo. It hosts a Chihuahua race every year. The event has been cancelled for 2016.
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5) The 2010 U.S. Census estimates that about 31.8 million U.S. residents are of Mexican origin. The largest concentration of Mexican-Americans is in Los Angeles, the city that holds the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the U.S.