Although Cinco de Mayo is celebrated throughout many parts of Mexico and the United States, not many people realize that it does have some uniquely Texan roots…

Cinco de Mayo, which literally means the Fifth of May in Spanish, is a holiday originating in Puebla, Mexico, to commemorate the day that the Mexican army defeated the much larger and much better-equipped French army in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. While Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Pueblo and some other parts of Mexico, it is not an official national holiday in Mexico. (It is often confused outside of Mexico with Mexican Independence Day, the biggest Mexican holiday, which is September 16^th, and commemorates the moment in 1810 when Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Catholic priest known as Father Hidalgo, made the first cry for independence.)

So what’s this have to do with Texas? Many Texans do not realize that the hero of the Cinco de Mayo, General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín, the general who defeated the French at Puebla was a native Texan. He was born in Goliad in 1829, when Texas was still part of Mexico, and only a few years before Texas Independence.

As a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in various ways throughout the City of Amarillo. At The Drunken Oyster, we pay tribute to this great holiday in the best way that we know how: with amazing food, great drinks, live music and a wonderful comradery!

Every Fifth of May we transform The Drunken Oyster into a Cinco de Mayo Amarillo party! And our party goes all night – complete with amazing Mexican food, ice cold margaritas, and LIVE music! (That’s right, live music Amarillo!) It’s practically an indoor Amarillo Cinco de Mayo block party! But if the weather suits you, you are also welcome to grab a seat on our patio for the best outdoor dining in Amarillo! And, don’t forget, if the Fifth of May falls on a Monday through Friday, you can be sure that you’ll be able to take advantage of the best Happy Hour in Amarillo from 10PM to 12PM.

So if you are looking for a lot of fun and a little Amarillo nightlife on Cinco de Mayo this year, make sure you squeeze in a siesta before you fiesta, and reserve your seat at The Drunken Oyster while they are still available!