State Museum celebrates ‘real’ Cinco de Mayo

Hispanic Connections, a Columbia business dedicated to connecting the Hispanic population with business and networking opportunities, will bring a fiesta into the South Carolina State Museum Sunday, May 3, in celebration of Cinco de Mayo.

Often misrepresented as a Mexican “Independence Day,” Cinco de Mayo is a remembrance of the day the Mexican army, led by Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín, defeated the French at Puebla, despite the odds being against them. Within the next five years, the French were driven out of Mexico completely.

Americans began celebrating Cinco de Mayo in the 1960s as a way to honor the Latino community. Today, the holiday is celebrated more widely in the U.S. than in Mexico.

This is the second year Hispanic Connections has held a Cinco de Mayo event as a way to celebrate and promote Hispanic culture.

Throughout the museum, guests can enjoy crafts and games, an unbreakable piñata, traditional dance performances, and live music that celebrate Hispanic culture and history. The performances will be presented by the cultural association Siguan Tinimit.

Artwork will be on display and available to purchase from the Association of Women for the Artisan Development TRAMA, a textile cooperative.

And no fiesta would be complete without a menu of authentic Mexican and Latin American fare, including beverages.

The celebration will be held from noon until 6 p.m. at the museum. Because it falls on First Citizens First Sunday, general admission is only $1. Cinco de Mayo activities are included with the $1 general admission or museum membership.

Bridget Winston, Special to The State

This story was originally published May 3, 2015 at 8:57 AM with the headline "State Museum celebrates ‘real’ Cinco de Mayo."