It is currently the most attended and largest gay pride event in Texas, the Southwest region of the United States, and the second largest Houston-organized event in the city behind Houston Rodeo. Owing partially to concerns over increasing congestion over the years in the nearby neighborhoods, and to accommodate a larger festival (held in the daytime before the parade itself), the 2015 parade was moved to downtown Houston. The route of the parade usually had been along Westheimer Road, from Dunlavy Street to Crocker Street. Until 2015, it took place in Houston's most gay-friendly neighborhood, Montrose. With the event after dark, the various units can be creatively illuminated. The necessary revision in a Houston parade ordinance to allow a nighttime parade was facilitated by then-Houston City Council member Annise Parker. The highlight of the event is the parade, which has been held in the evening after sunset since 1997. The festivities are held all day on the 4th Saturday of June. This event commemorates the 1969 police raid of the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street in New York City's Greenwich Village neighborhood, which is generally considered to be the beginning of the modern gay rights movement. The festival takes place in June to celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their allies. Many people outside Mexico mistakenly believe that Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexican independence, which was declared more than 50 years before the Battle of Puebla.The Houston Gay Pride Parade (or often called the Houston Pride Parade) is the major feature of a gay pride festival held annually since 1979. READ MORE: 7 Things You May Not Know About Cinco de Mayo Confusion With Mexican Independence Day Some of the largest festivals are held in Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston. Today, revelers mark the occasion with parades, parties, mariachi music, Mexican folk dancing and traditional foods such as tacos and mole poblano. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is widely interpreted as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with substantial Mexican-American populations.Ĭhicano activists raised awareness of the holiday in the 1960s, in part because they identified with the victory of Indigenous Mexicans (such as Juárez) over European invaders during the Battle of Puebla. Why Do We Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the United States? For many Mexicans, however, May 5 is a day like any other: It is not a federal holiday, so offices, banks and stores remain open. Traditions include military parades, recreations of the Battle of Puebla and other festive events.
Within Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is primarily observed in the state of Puebla, where Zaragoza’s unlikely victory occurred, although other parts of the country also take part in the celebration. At the time, the country was in financial ruin after years of internal strife, and the new president was forced to default on debt payments to European governments. In 1861, Benito Juárez-a lawyer and member of the Indigenous Zapotec tribe-was elected president of Mexico. Instead, it commemorates a single battle. Cinco de Mayo HistoryĬinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day, a popular misconception. While it is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations. The day, which falls on Thursday, May 5 in 2022, is also known as Battle of Puebla Day.