YONKERS, N.Y. (PIX11) — To many people, the festival of Cinco de Mayo is all about margaritas and guacamole. But to many others with ties to the east central Mexican city of Puebla, it is a celebration of their heritage and pride.
It was a colorful and joyous celebration of Mexican pride on Friday during the first-ever Cinco de Mayo festival in the City of Yonkers. With a population of 215,000, the city has more than 30,000 residents with ties to Mexico.
“First you had Cubans, then Puerto Ricans, then Mexicans,” Mike Spano, the mayor of Yonkers, told PIX11 News. “The Mexican community is a big thriving community here in the city of Yonkers,” he added.
The festival had folkloric dancing and music as well as Mexican food and clothing to commemorate Mexico’s victory against France in the 1862 battle of Puebla. Mexico doesn’t celebrate the holiday in a big way, but it keeps growing here in the U.S. as a celebration of Mexican pride, particularly in Yonkers where many residents have ties to Puebla.
“It’s amazing how this day has turned into this,” Gilberto De Ita, a Puebla native, told PIX11 News. “To feel their pride in where they come from gathering around our city or state, and our battle.”
The festival was held in a park off of New Main Street in Yonkers, the heart of what’s being called Little Puebla.
Roberto Espiritu has had a Mexican bakery, La Piñata, on the street since 1992.
“We are living the American dream, they give us so many opportunities you have to take advantage of,” Roberto Espiritu, President Mexican Chamber of Commerce of Yonkers and the festival organizer, told PIX11 News.
And for so many of the youngest participants, it was a time to celebrate their Mexican heritage.
“I get to have fun dancing and enjoy my tradition,” Allison Vazquez, 10, told PIX11 News.
