Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Ashland on Saturday

Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley is sponsoring Ashland’s 11th Annual Cinco de Mayo celebration on Saturday, May 4th, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The alcohol-free event includes:

• Health & Resource fair with 30 Alameda County community organizations
• Free Mexican lunch for community participants
• Traditional Mexican entertainment such as Aztec Dancers
• Youth performances

Ashland’s Cinco de Mayo celebration celebrates the true meaning of May 5, 1862, when the French army attacked the town of Puebla, and the Mexican Army under General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated the militarily superior French.

This victory united Mexico and generated a stronger sense of patriotism.

The Chicano Movement in the 1960’s began to acknowledge May fifth as the day that reflects the Mexican/Chicano identity struggle in the United States.

It became a time to mobilize neighborhoods and address social justice issues within the Chicano community.

In the late 1980’s, however, the beverage industry began to co-ops May 5th (Cinco de Mayo) to promote their alcohol products.

Saturday’s event seeks to emphasize the message of community pride that has become a renewed element of many Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the United States.

It is hoped that this approach will eliminate alcohol-related problems and help educate the community about the origin of this historic event in the Mexican culture.