How to Celebrate Cinco De Mayo - 2021 Style

​Like many things over the past year, celebrating Cinco de Mayo may look a little different in 2021. But that doesn't mean it can't still be a fiesta! Let's dive into 4 ways you can celebrate Cinco de Mayo with style! 

Music
Music is an integral part of Mexican-American culture. There are tens of different styles to choose from — folk to mariachi to corridos and pop. Mexican music spans all genres and includes such greats as Vicente Fernández, Juan Gabriel, Thalía, Luis Miguel and the Tejano star Selena.

You can now enjoy a live concert from the comfort of your own home. Check out the below upcoming live events featuring Latin music stars.

Marco Antonio Solís (May 9)

Mexican singer-songwriter Marco Antonio Solís will offer a virtual concert to honor all moms on Mother's Day. 

Where to Watch: 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 9. Tickets available here. 

CNCO (May 14)

The Latin boy band CNCO, will be performing their first virtual concert since before the pandemic.

Where to Watch: 6:30 p.m. ET on Friday, May 14. For U.S. tickets, click here.

You can also bring the vibe of Mexico home today with this incredible playlist:​

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Food
One of the things many of us know and love Mexico for — its delicious food. Today I’d love to highlight a few dishes you can make at home to bring the flavors of Mexico to your kitchen.

Mexican Hot Chocolate
Ingredients

• 2 bars of Mexican drinking chocolate (Abuelita by Nestlé or Ibarra)
• 1 liter of milk or water
• 4 cinnamon sticks for garnish

Preparation

1. Pour your milk of water into a tall narrow pot over very low heat.
2. Add 2 bars of chocolate (approximately 6 ounces).
3. When the chocolate starts to dissolve gently move it with a molinillo or whisk until it fully dissolves, about 20 minutes.
4. Once all of the chocolate has fully dissolved, vigorously froth the drink with the molinillo or whisk for 10 minutes to develop a frothy creamy texture. You can also use a blender or immersion blender to froth the beverage.

While lot of people dash to margaritas when they hear Mexico, today I want to share a beverage that is truly the cocktail of the Mexican people — the paloma. The paloma, which means “dove” in Spanish, is popular all across Mexico and is also damn delicious.

Paloma
Ingredients

• 2 oz. tequila
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• Salt
• Ice
• Grapefruit or lime wedge
• 4 oz. grapefruit soda (ex. Jarritos, Squirt or Fresca)

Directions

1. If you’d like a salt rim, pour the salt into a small dish. Moisten the rim of a tall glass with a grapefruit or lime wedge. Invert the glass into the salt, turning it as needed, to coat the rim.
2. Fill the glass with ice. Pour in the tequila and lime juice, and stir to combine. Top with the grapefruit soda, stir, and garnish with the grapefruit or lime wedge.

One of my favorite dishes that will make you feel like you’re on vacation is elote, or Mexican street corn. It is corn on the cob smothered with a layer of mayonnaise, grated cheese, lime and chili powder. It’s delicious and super easy to make.

Elote
Ingredients

• 6 ears corn, shucked and cleaned
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• Chili powder
• 1/3 c. grated cotija cheese
• Fresh chopped cilantro
• Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium-high. Grill corn, turning often, until slightly charred all over, about 10 minutes.
2. Brush corn with a layer of mayonnaise and sprinkle with chili powder, cotija, and cilantro. Serve warm with lime wedges.

A couple of notes on the preparation. If you have trouble finding cotija cheese, you can substitute grated parmesan.

For the chili powder, you can use what you have on hand but if you want to give your elote a kick grab some Tajin. It’s a tangy blend of chili peppers, lime and salt. You can find it at grocery stores in the Hispanic food aisle, and of course, online. And, if you’re looking for ways to use it up, try sprinkling it on fruit for a Chicano experience. It’s a perfect compliment to jicama, watermelon, mango and pineapple.

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 Support Local Businesses

One of the best ways you can celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year is by spending some dinero! Yes, take this as an opportunity to support a local Mexican-owned business.  

Below is a list of businesses near my hometown of Tacoma that you can support this Cinco de Mayo. And if you're not near Tacoma, WA ask others in your community for recommendations as well! 

Pasteles Finos del Angel 
5102 B South Washington Street
Tacoma, WA 98409

Taqueria Los Grandes Amigos
8607 S Hosmer Street
Tacoma, WA 98444

Cocina Mexicana
3802 Cedar St Way
Tacoma, WA 98409

Anahuac Mexican Restaurant
9002 Pacific Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98444

Teresita's Mexican Bakery
3731 E McKinley Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98404

​​Tienda Mexicana Tlaquepaque
201 S 40th Street
Tacoma, WA 98418

Claudia Cakes
https://www.facebook.com/Claudia-Cakes-244619899608094

Tienda Carniceria Palomino's
804 E 56th Street
Tacoma, WA 98404

Panaderia el Trigal
6301 E McKinley Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98404

Javier's Salon
804 E 56th Street
Tacoma, WA 98404
(253) 472-7062
https://javierssalon.com/ 

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Activities
The final leg of our celebration includes some fun activities you can do at home for Cinco de Mayo. Check it out! ?

Lucha Libre
Mexican wrestling, otherwise known as lucha libre, is a unique form of entertainment where storytelling, athleticism, machismo and sequins meet! Swap your face mask for a lucha libre mask and tune into a match. 

Here's a couple places where you can watch. 

• El Rey Network - Lucha Underground and full episodes are available on Tubi and Amazon. 
• Watch Full Replays of Matches from Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL)

Watch a Movie or TV Show
I love a good film and TV show to transport me into a new world. Lucky for us, there’s no shortage of great films about Mexico. There are dozens of greats to choose from.

In the montage video above, you'll see clips from amazing movies and shows featuring Mexican American stories, from young to old and from past to present. See the list below to learn more about the clips included.

Clips in order of appearance:

• ​La Bamba
• Go, Diego, Go
• Tortilla Soup
• Spanglish
• Gentefied
• East Side Sushi
• Dolores

• Cesar Chavez
• El Norte
• Ugly Betty
• Selena
• George Lopez
• George Lopez
• Stand and Deliver
• Salt of the Earth

Piñata Making
No Mexican fiesta is complete without a piñata. Piñatas are an important part of birthday parties and other parties for children (and fun-loving adults), and have a long history that dates back millennia.

This is a fun tradition that you can bring home by making your own piñata with paper maché. Then fill it up with fruit, candy or other goodies and have fun breaking it open and letting all of the goodies rain out. Watch the video below to learn how to make your own piñata. ​