There are many ways to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Cinco de Mayo, the holiday that commemorates the Mexican army's defeat of the French in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.
Brooklyn
5K Run with the Mexican Athletic Club of New York
When: Sunday, May 6. Registration starts at 8 a.m. and races start at 11 a.m.
Where: Prospect Park
For the Mexican Athletic Club of New York (CAMNY) there is no better way to celebrate Cinco De Mayo than a 5K run. Now in its 15th year, the fun run draws about 300 runners and just as many spectators for the event. It kicks off at 11 a.m. in Prospect Park and ends at Bartel Pritchard Square.
"The purpose is to gather all the families," said the club's founder Adam Lazaro, 54, a Park Slope resident and retired professional runner. "It isn’t only for Mexicans. We have runners from everywhere."
The cost is $25 for adults. Children can enter shorter races with a registration fee of $10.
Every runner gets a T-shirt, and the top male and female runners will win an all-expenses-paid trip to compete in the Modesto Carrion Half-Marathon (male) and the 10K (female) in Juncos, Puerto Rico, in November.
Queens
When: Saturday, May 5, noon to 6 p.m.
Where: Corona Plaza on Roosevelt Avenue in North Corona
The fiesta typically attracts 75,000 people, according to Stephanny Bizuete, the associate producer for the event, which is organized by the Corona Action Network.
There will be a children's zone where kids can decorate mini sombreros and ride on ponies, donkeys and huge slides. Live music and Mexican dancers will be at the festivities as well as a food court with Latin American cuisine.
"Our event stands out because we really focus on celebrating the Mexican family," said Bizuete.
Manhattan
Mex Fest on the Seaport: Food Truck Festival
Where: South Street Seaport
When: Saturday, May 5, noon until 7:00 p.m.
More than 15 of the city's food trucks will be stationed at the South Street Seaport, located on Fulton and South streets, serving up their regular meals with a Mexican twist at this ticketed event.
Trucks such as Luke's Lobster, Eddie's Pizza, Coolhaus and Souvlaki GR will all be there along with beer and margaritas.
Entry into the food truck area is $22, which includes two vouchers for a beer, margarita or michelada. A sombrero and mustache are also included in the ticket price.
Check out the event organizer's website, iAdventure, for more ticketing options.
Manhattan
Where: East Village
When: Saturday, May 5, noon until 4 a.m. Sunday morning
Pubcrawls.com is hosting a Cinco de Mayo event in Manhattan.
Advanced tickets costs $10 and gives crawlers access to roughly 60 participating bars. The first opening kicks off at noon and the last bar closes at Sunday at 4 a.m.
Each bar has drink specials with $2 to $3 Dos Equis or domestic draft beer and $4 to $5 margaritas or tequila, according Sydney Pajack, a sales representative.
Participants can register at six different locations — Bar 13, Katwalk Bar, Pourhouse Downtown, Beekman Beer Garden or Traffic Bar — before getting their drinking under way.
Organizers will also be selling T-shirts and sombreros, Pajack said.
Staten Island
Where: Faber Park in Port Richmond
When: Saturday, May 5, 10 a.m until 3 p.m.
El Centro del Inmigrante, a local non-profit, is preparing an event full of traditional Mexican music, dance, children's crafts and food for their Cinco de Mayo celebration.
Headlining the sixth annual party will be a contemporary indigenous band from Mexico called Sak Tzevul as well as one of New York's top mariachi bands, Los Mariachi Mejicolinso.
There will be craft tables for kids to create miniature pinatas while Mexican artisan Ramon Carreon will be displaying his art.
This event is free and open to the public.
