By Stephen Appezzato
RED BANK – If you want to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year, Red Bank is offering a number of fun ways to do so, including festivities and charity events at local restaurants and a show at Count Basie Center for the Arts.
Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico’s May 5, 1862, victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. Despite being outnumbered and underequipped, Mexico managed to defeat the invading French forces. Cinco de Mayo is mainly celebrated in the Mexican state of Puebla, but is also recognized in other regions across the country and more recently in the United States.
In the mid 20th century, Cinco de Mayo became a popular holiday in the U.S. as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage. There are differing thoughts as to how this holiday took off in the U.S. Some say Cinco de Mayo gained popularity here during the Chicano Movement of the 1960s, when Mexicans and Mexican Americans linked the symbolism of the Battle of Puebla to their advocation for civil rights. Another, more cynical, suggestion links the popularity to beverage companies marketing the lesser-known holiday for commercial reasons.
“Whatever led to it, I think it is here to stay,” said Alberto Lopez Herrera, artistic director and co-founder of Calpulli Mexican Dance Company. The dance company, a nonprofit group based in New York, is dedicated to celebrating Mexican and Mexican American culture and heritage through professional musical and dance performances, including an engagement at the Count Basie Center for the Arts. The company will be performing its show “Puebla: The Story of Cinco De Mayo” May 5.
Herrera, originally from the state of Puebla, co-wrote and co-choreographed the story with Juan Castaño, the executive director of the organization. “We tell the history of the people and the historical figures that influenced what led to the Battle of Puebla on May 5, Cinco de Mayo, 1862,” Herrera said. “We want to take advantage of all the attention on Cinco de Mayo to celebrate the real story, which is the Battle of Puebla. It showed how even the smallest people can stand up to the strong and win. I want the people from Puebla, Mexicans, and anyone who has ever felt like the underdog to be inspired and feel proud,” said Herrera.
Down the street from the Basie and the Calpulli Mexican Dance Company’s performance, Kitchen Tex-Mex will also be celebrating the holiday. On the evenings of May 4 and 5, Idalia Gallegos and her husband, German Castro, originally from Acapulco and Puebla respectively, are hosting two Cinco de Mayo celebrations at their family-operated restaurant on Monmouth Street, featuring live authentic Mexican music, BYOB and a special menu for the holiday.
“We decided to do two celebrations, because we have different people from different cultures, and they want to come on the fourth and the fifth,” said Gallegos, discussing the large number of requests for the celebration. When asked about the significance of the holiday, Gallegos said, “We work hard and sometimes forget about a lot of holidays, but Cinco de Mayo means a lot in Mexico, too.” But, she noted, “Everybody is welcome to come.”
Also in Red Bank at the Triumph Brewing Company, a Cinco de Mayo Fiesta will also be held the evening of May 5, featuring music from the Grammy-nominated Venezuelan artist MV Caldera. Partnering with the Immigration Committee of the Greater Red Bank Women’s Initiative, Triumph Brewing Company will be donating all proceeds from the night to the Summer of Dreams, an initiative funding the travel for five Brookdale Community College students to travel to Mexico for a study abroad opportunity. Additionally, donations can be made through the GoFundMe campaign titled Summer of Dreams 2022.
When celebrating Cinco de Mayo, it is important to recognize the origins and meaning of the holiday; Gallegos said there are misconceptions about it in the U.S. “We have a lot of customers asking if it is Independence Day, and I am very honest, I tell them, ‘No, it is not the Independence Day,’ and they’re very happy that I let them know what it means.”
Mexico’s Independence Day is celebrated Sept. 16. Herrera makes the same observation. “Many people think it is Mexican Independence Day,” he said. “But people also don’t know what they celebrate, so it becomes about margaritas and guacamole. I hope people continue to celebrate, but also remember the people from Puebla when they do,” he said.
This article originally appeared in the May 5-11, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
