Austin Celebrates Cinco de Mayo

Austin, TX - Thousands of people attended the 2nd annual Cinco de Mayo block party on 2nd street in Downtown Austin.

The block party had Mexican food, live performances by Brownout, Mariatchi Tamazula and more.

Many were celebrating Mexico’s victory on May 5th 1862, when the Mexican Army won the Battle of Puebla against the French, who were trying to establish their rule over Mexico.

The celebration of the holiday that we enjoy today in Austin, could be credited to a young man who is sited in an article in the Austin American Statesman back on May 2nd 1886.

“It was about this young man Lino Torres who was a student at Saint Edwards University who was trying to bring awareness and bring the celebration of Cinco de Mayo here to Austin,” said Gloria Espitia of the Austin History Center.

Espitia says there could have been many attempts but this is one of the only documents they could find talking about bringing a Cinco de Mayo celebration to Austin.