When Is Cinco de Mayo?
Cinco de Mayo 2027 is on Wednesday, May 5 — in 181 days. It is on May 5 every year; in 2028 it falls on a Friday.
Updated · By the YearlyCalendar.org team
Cinco de Mayo (“Fifth of May”) commemorates the Mexican army's victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. In the US it has become a celebration of Mexican-American culture.
May 2027 calendar
Cinco de Mayo is marked on Wednesday, May 5, 2027, along with the other US federal holidays and observances of the month.
- Federal holiday / day off
- Observance
- Weekend
May 2027 – Cinco de Mayo 2027
| Wk | SundaySun | MondayMon | TuesdayTue | WednesdayWed | ThursdayThu | FridayFri | SaturdaySat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 1 | ||||||
| 18 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5Cinco de Mayo | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 19 | 9Mother's Day | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 20 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 21 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 22 | 30 | 31Memorial Day |
Cinco de Mayo dates 2020–2040
Cinco de Mayo falls on a weekend in 5 of these 21 years.
The Battle of Puebla
After Mexico suspended payments on its foreign debts in 1861, France under Napoleon III sent an army to Mexico. On May 5, 1862, a smaller Mexican force led by General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated about 6,000 French troops under Charles de Lorencez at Puebla. The victory did not end the war: the French took Puebla in May 1863 and installed Maximilian I as emperor in 1864; he was executed in 1867.
Cinco de Mayo in the United States
Mexicans in Columbia, California, celebrated the news of the victory in 1862, and organized celebrations in Los Angeles and San Francisco began in 1863. Today it is a celebration of Mexican-American heritage with parades, music and food.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
When is Cinco de Mayo 2028?
Cinco de Mayo 2028 is on Friday, May 5, 2028.
Is Cinco de Mayo Mexican Independence Day?
No. Mexico's Independence Day is September 16, marking Miguel Hidalgo's call to arms in 1810.
Is Cinco de Mayo a holiday in Mexico?
It is a civic commemoration: public schools close and it is a holiday in the state of Puebla, but it is not one of the paid rest days listed in Article 74 of Mexico's Federal Labor Law.
Is Cinco de Mayo a federal holiday in the US?
No. It is not a day off; offices, schools and banks keep their usual schedule.