Cinco de Mayo Luncheon 2026

The Cinco de Mayo Luncheon gathers downtown businesses and stakeholders to celebrate, promote, and learn about the Mexic-Arte Museum, the Cinco de Mayo victory, and the 5th St. Mexican American Cultural District. We invite you and your company to sponsor the fourth annual Cinco de Mayo Luncheon. This event will raise funds for Mexic-Arte Museum, the pioneer and major anchor of the 5th St. Mexican American Cultural District.

Mexico, France, and the U.S. have shared history through events like Cinco de Mayo. Highlighting intersections of these nations’ histories reveals complex relationships and shared cultural exchange. From history to cuisine, art, music, literature and more, celebrating the diverse connections between Mexico, France, and the U.S. fosters a deeper appreciation of each culture’s unique and interconnected contributions to the world.

This year’s guest speaker is Dr. Raúl A. Ramos, PhD, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Department of History, Director, Center for Arts and Humanities at the University of Houston. Dr. Ramos’ talk will be As American as a Rodeo: Connecting the History of Cinco de Mayo. The talk will focus on how Cinco de Mayo has become a popular day to celebrate Mexican history. Looking at the history of the battle and links to the Civil War underscores the intertwined histories of the United States and Mexico.

Dr. Raúl A. Ramos is an American historian and author with expertise in borderlands history, Mexican American history and the history of Texas. Ramos is Associate Professor of History at the University of Houston. He received his A.B. in History and Latin American Studies from Princeton University and his PhD in History from Yale University. He is currently the founding director of the University of Houston Center for Arts and Humanities.

We invite you to sponsor a table at this celebration or reserve your individual tickets and be a part of this year’s festivities. Sponsorships also support the production of the 2026 Cinco de Mayo Fest.

Cinco de Mayo: Honoring Our Mexican, French, and American Heritage – In 1886, Lino Torres and Emile Tarratas planned a Cinco de Mayo celebration in downtown Austin, likely at what is today Republic Square. Cinco de Mayo means 5th of May. It is a day and holiday that commemorates a single victorious battle by Mexico over France, though not independence from France or Spain; Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821. Mexico won the battle at Puebla, a town near Mexico City, on May 5, 1862, but they ultimately lost the war to France. Cinco de Mayo is now a day Mexicans and Americans today celebrate annually because of what it represents to Mexico.

Related Events

Cinco de Mayo Fest

Join us at Cinco de Mayo Fest for a vibrant family event and celebration of Mexican culture at Republic Square on May 2, 2026!

2025 Highlight Reel