Cinco de Mayo celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War, and the holiday has become a time to appreciate Mexican culture and heritage. Here are seven ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

Crafts

Create the Mexican flag with red and green paint, cotton swabs, white card stock and a pencil. Separate paper into three sections. Paint red and green in the appropriate segments using the cotton swabs to dot, finger painting or a brush to fill in the whole section. Print an emblem to go into the center section. Color the emblem, then cut and glue it to the center of the flag.

Make tissue paper flowers with tissue paper, green paper, pipe cleaner, a ruler, glue and scissors. Stack three sheets on top of one another, line them up and cut into 12×6″ sheets. Line them up and fold them accordion-style. Trim the ends of the tissue paper into a rounded edge. Place the green pipe cleaner in the center of the tissue paper, looping the stem around the middle of the folded tissue paper strip. Twist onto itself to hold the tissue paper strip in place. Open up the tissue paper, pulling apart evenly from both ends. Cut leaves out of the green paper and glue onto the stem.

Create Ojo De Dios with colored yarn and craft sticks or twigs. Hold two sticks together, wrap the yarn around the center and tie a square knot. Wrap the yarn in a clockwise direction starting at the 3 o’clock stick, then the 6 o’clock stick, then 9 o’clock. Wrap the yarn around each individual stick by bringing the yarn over the stick, then wrapping around the back and coming back up between the stick you’re wrapping and the stick you just wrapped. Bring the yarn back over the current stick, onward to the next stick, and repeat. When finished with your weaving, just tie the end around one of the sticks.

Piñata Fun

Make your own Paper Plate Piñata with paper plates, glue, stapler, tissue paper and candy. Make fringe with the tissue paper. Place both paper plates together and staple one end. Glue the tissue paper decorations onto the plate. Let the glue dry before stuffing with candy. Staple closed. Hang with string.

Make mini piñatas using paper cups, colorful napkins or tissue paper, tape, ribbon, rubber bands and candy. Start by poking a hole in the bottom of the cup and threading the ribbon through. Cover the cup with colorful décor. When you pull the ribbon, the candy and goodies will fall out! Find full instructions here.

Music

Learn a few Spanish phrases and words with music and fun videos. Learn the alphabet with Spanish for Kids. Calico Spanish for Kids goes through colors. Sing a nursery rhyme with HooplaKidz. Learn how to introduce yourself with “Sesame Street.” Check out RockAlingua for music-based Spanish learning.

Enjoy a Meal

Celebrate with On The Border’s Family Meals for takeout that serve 4-5 people. El Azteca has takeout, curbside service and delivery for quesadillas, nachos, tacos and more. Dine in or order Tin Lizzy’s for quesadillas, tacos, skillets and more. Superica has fajitas, enchiladas, tacos and more. Order from Tacos & Tequilas for chimichangas, skillets, burritos and more. Raging Burrito has quesadillas, burritos, tacos and more. Taqueria del Mar has seafood, burritos, enchiladas and more. Order Frontera’s special menu for Cinco de Mayo with family meals and drink specials. Taqueria los Hermanos has nachos, quesadillas, tacos and more. Order a taco party pack from bartaco for tacos, sides, chips, salsa verde and more. Chuy’s will offer drink specials all day long. Pure Taqueria has multiple locations in metro Atlanta. Chipotle has burritos, burrito bowls, tacos and more. At the grocery store, pick up Gordo’s Cheese Dip, an Atlanta-based brands; download coupons here. Chattahoochee Food Works is celebrating all day long with festive food and drinks, a Mariachi band and more.

Events

On May 7, enjoy a festival from Plaza Fiesta with entertainment, live mariachi music, bands, games and prizes.

Stone Mountain Park’s new Latino Family Festival features a Drone and Light Show, storytellers and international talent, including Aztec Dancers, Mexican Ballet, Flamenco Dancers and more.

Celebrate cultures from Latin America at Six Flags Over Georgia’s ¡Viva La Fiesta! with festoons, piñatas, food, music, dancing and more.

Playtime

Purchase fiesta fun items from Oriental Trading for color-your-own keychains, stamps, sticker sheets and more. Check out Artelexia Mexican and Latin American gifts, art, home décor, gourmet foods, toys, games and more. The site has stickers, puzzles, games, balloons, dolls, rattles and more.

Recipes

Slice of vegetarian tortilla casserole on a plate

Panning the Globe

Get creative in the kitchen with these Mexican-inspired meals and tools.

Make your own tortillas with the Red Cast Iron Tortilla Press and your own guacamole with the Molcajete with Tortilla Basket.

Vegetarian Tortilla Casserole

  • 1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 14-oz. can stewed or diced tomatoes
  • 1 4-oz. can chopped mild green chilies
  • 2 c. frozen corn kernels, defrosted
  • 1 bunch scallions, chopped
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese or Cheddar cheese
  • Toppings: Salsa, sour cream or yogurt, scallions

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 400ºF. Combine beans, tomatoes, chilies, corn, scallions, chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt in a large bowl.
  • Lightly oil a 2-3 quart casserole dish. Line the bottom with 6 tortillas, allowing them to overlap in the middle. You can cut off some of the round edges so the tortillas fit against the edge of your casserole dish. Scoop on half the bean mixture. Sprinkle half the cheese on top. Add another layer of tortillas; the rest of the bean mixture and the rest of the cheese.
  • Bake in the center of the oven for 12-15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling.
  • Cut into squares and serve with your favorite salsa and sour cream or yogurt to spoon on top.

Cheese Quesadillas

  • 2 8″ flour tortillas
  • ⅔ c. Monterey Jack cheese
  • 4 tsp. vegetable oil
  • Possible additions: tomatoes, ham, scallions, black beans, cilantro, jalapenos, chicken.

Directions:

  • Sprinkle half of cheese over half of first tortilla. Fold tortilla in half, forming half-moon shape with cheese inside and press to flatten. Repeat with second tortilla and remaining cheese.
  • Use pastry brush to brush top of each quesadilla with 1 tsp. oil. Place quesadillas in 10″ nonstick skillet, oiled sides down. Brush second with another tsp. oil.
  • Heat skillet over medium heat and cook until bottoms are crisp and well browned, 2-3 minutes.
  • Flip quesadillas and cook until second sides are crisp and browned, 1-2 minutes.
  • Let the quesadillas cool before cutting and serving.

Crispy Chicken Mini-Tacos

  • 1 c. finely chopped tomato
  • ½ c. finely chopped white onion
  • 1 jalapeno, stemmed and deveined
  • 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bone-in chicken breast, with skin
  • 2 tsp. olive oil, plus 2 tbsp.
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • 6 corn tortillas
  • ¼ c. Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 3 tbsp. shredded iceberg lettuce
  • 3 tbsp. queso fresco or mild feta cheese

Directions:

  • Salsa: Combine the tomato, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro in a bowl. Mix well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the chicken breast with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, to taste. Put the chicken on a small sheet pan and roast until fully cooked through, about 25 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to cool before shredding.
  • In a medium shallow skillet heat enough vegetable oil to come half way up the sides of the pan. Shred the chicken into small pieces and put about 2 tbsp. down the center of each corn tortilla. Roll up each tortilla like a cigar and secure them with a toothpick. Fry the tacos until golden brown on all sides, turning once, about four minutes total. Remove the toothpicks and cut each taco in half.
  • To serve: Top with shredded lettuce and freshly made salsa. Drizzle with Mexican crema and sprinkle with crumbled queso fresco.

Sombrero Cookies

  • Sugar cookies
  • Can of white icing
  • Gum drops
  • Nonpareils or sprinkles

Directions:

  • Start by putting about half a can of store bought icing into a bag. Then cut off a tiny piece of one corner to make squeezing the icing onto the cookie easy.
  • Using your icing bag, squeeze a small bead of icing all the way around the cookie.
  • Pour your nonpareils into a shallow dish and then place the iced cookie face down in the plate of nonpareils.
  • Turn them back over and add a drop of icing in the center of the cookie.
  • Add a gum drop to the icing then sprinkle on a few extra nonpareils to cover any extra icing.

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