Cinco de Mayo is becoming an increasingly popular day to celebrate Mexican culture and heritage, with dances, parades and other activities taking place in many cities across the country.
Cinco de Mayo commemorates Mexico’s victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. But for most Americans, Cinco de Mayo is simply a time to celebrate Mexican culture. There are growing numbers of Cinco de Mayo festivals across the country, and many of them have campgrounds nearby that can be used as convenient base camps for these events.
These include Manatee County, Florida's Annual Taco Fest in Palmetto, which is close to several campgrounds, including Encore Terra Ceia RV Resort, Fisherman's Cove RV Resort, The Surf RV Resort, and The Tides RV Resort.
Denver, Colorado's Annual Cinco de Mayo Festival has been a tradition for more than three decades with a parade and live entertainment from morning to night with several genres of Latin music, including Mariachi, Salsa, and Norteño. There will also be hundreds of vendors selling Mexican folk art, handcrafted goods and some of Colorado’s best Mexican cuisine. Nearby campgrounds include Bear Creek Lake Park in Lakewood and Flying Saucer RV Park in Sheridan.
In San Antonio, Texas, not only are there multiple Cinco de Mayo celebrations at various venues across the city, but there’s Fiesta San Antonio, a popular 10-day event that showcases many aspects of Mexican culture with parades, a beauty pageant, folkloric dance performances, and other events. Nearby campgrounds include Hidden Valley RV Park and Alamo River RV Park & Campground, both in Von Ormy.
Arizona's Largest Cinco de Mayo Festival takes place in downtown Phoenix. The event includes food and drink, family activities, lucha libre, and folkloric dance performances and live music featuring both local and national bands. Nearby campgrounds include Desert's Edge RV Park in Phoenix and Pueblo El Mirage RV Resort in El Mirage.
San Diego, California, for its part, has a Cinco de Mayo Fiesta in Old Town, which features over 20 Latin bands, Mariachis and a ballet folklorico competition. Nearby campgrounds include the San Diego Metro KOA Resort and Sun Outdoors San Diego Bay, both in neighboring Chula Vista.
Of course, many campgrounds also offer their own Cinco de Mayo activities, which can involve everything from maraca, sombrero, and piñata-making activities to fiesta-style potlucks and Salsa competitions.
Hit the Road
Here’s a sampling of Cinco de Mayo weekend activities at campgrounds across the country:
