Today is Cinco de Marcho — not Cinco de Mayo — that’s on the 5th of May. This holiday has been around since 2007 and is celebrated annually on March 5th.
This “made-up” holiday was invented by a man that goes by the name of Carlos Fantastico. But his true identity is a mystery.
Cinco de Mayo simply means “the fifth of May” in Spanish. It marks the anniversary of May 5, 1862, when the Mexican army won the Battle of Puebla. It’s recognized in Mexico, but mostly celebrated in the United States. And that’s true of Cinco de Marcho — it’s a mostly U.S. “holiday.”
The idea behind Cinco de Marcho is that on the fifth of March, Carlos Fantastico was in a Mexican restaurant and realized that St. Patrick’s Day was right around the corner. So why not have a holiday that would celebrate both cultures? A holiday with a Mexican name, celebrating the drinking associated with St. Patrick’s Day — a way to simultaneously celebrate both cultures — what a great idea.
However, contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Marcho isn’t about excessive drinking. Carlos Fantastico views the day as training for light drinkers. Those with low alcohol tolerance can start building their alcohol tolerance starting on Cinco de Marcho to prepare their liver for the upcoming St. Patrick celebrations.
So if you’re out and about today, remember that Cinco de Marcho is a combination of the traditions of both St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo. You may see sombreros, margaritas, four leaf clovers and glasses of Guinness all mixed together — just remember it’s March 5th, and you’ll remember why.
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