May 2, 2024 - Things to Do
Where to party for Cinco de Mayo in New Orleans
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Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios
Many Mexican restaurants in New Orleans metro are throwing Cinco de Mayo parties this weekend.
The big picture: The celebrations focus on the Americanized version of the holiday with drink specials, tacos and live music.
Driving the news: The eighth annual Cinco de Mayo Fest in Fat City is one of the bigger parties this weekend with food and live music.
- Mannie Fresh and Lonestar Luchador headline.
- The 10th annual Margarita Mayhem Cinco de Mayo Celebration is happening in St. Roch as well.
Many restaurants are also hosting events, such as:
- Superior Grill on St. Charles Avenue.
- Casa Borrega in Central City.
- NOPSI Hotel hosts Rooftop Cinco de Mayo.
- Flamingo A-Go-Go in the Warehouse District.
- The Velvet Cactus in Lakeview.
- Zócalo hosts its fourth annual Cinco de Mayo block party in Old Metairie. Admission is free.
- Baja NOLA MexiCajun hosts Cinco de Mayo Kenner Fest with Big Freedia and Ha Sizzle.
- El Paso Grill in Kenner with the Topcats.
- Ground Pati in Rivertown with the Wiseguys.
- Don Jose's Grill in Kenner with Mariachi NOLA.
- The Kamp Bar in Harahan with the Bucktown Allstars.
State of play: Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. That's Sept. 16.
- Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Battle of Puebla and the victory of Mexico's ragtag army against the French forces of Napoleon III, writes Axios' Russell Contreras.
- Mexican Americans in the 1910s used the holiday as a David vs. Goliath story of Indigenous people beating a European force as inspiration for fighting for civil rights.
- By the 1980s, corporations and beer companies had co-opted the day as a way to reach the growing U.S. Hispanic market.
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