Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Hi it’s Leslie Harris, and today is Cinco de mayo, translated as the 5th of May. Many people believe that this is Mexico’s Independence Day, and many Americans see this as a reason to drink heavily, especially Mexican beer and margaritas.

However, this day is not a big deal in most parts of Mexico. Cinco de Mayo actually commemorates the anniversary of Mexico’s victory over the second French empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

In the United States, Cinco de Mayo celebrations started in California in 1863. But it wasn’t until the 1980s that caught on in the rest of the country, thanks in large part to advertising from alcoholic beverages. Go figure.

How will you be celebrating Cinco de Mayo? Where are the best places to go in the western suburbs to celebrate? Let us know in the Facebook comments.