Crowds Come Out to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in West Hollywood

The Cinco de Mayo Celebration of Mexican American culture fell on a Friday this year, so the crowds were bound to come out to city of West Hollywood for a night of all things tequila, Corona cerveza and mariachi music. The Rainbow District was busy for happy hour on Santa Monica Boulevard and there was lots to choose from when the dance floor opened up at Micky’s WeHo, Rocco’s WeHo, Heart WeHo (which hosted heir Latin themed night called Corazon), The Abbey WeHo and people were also dancing at Fiesta Cantina.

The Abbey WeHo founder and owner David Cooley donned a sombrero and was seen serving his customers while Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles serenading patrons in the open patio during the early evening at around 5pm. Led by director Carlos Samaniego, Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles performs its repertoire to suit the LGBTQ community while it maintains the highest level of musicality. It is also the first mariachi band to include transgender female, Natalia Melendez, in the history of mariachi.

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO! Here we have @Mariachiarcoiri performing at @TheAbbeyWeHo. It looks like the fiesta is just getting started #wehotimes #wehonews #weho #westhollywood #cincodemayo #cerveza #tequila #corona #fiesta @wehocity @wehochamber #mariachiarcoirisdelosangeles #mariachi pic.twitter.com/pJaWbgGzWV

— WEHO TIMES (@WEHO_TIMES) May 6, 2023

Gracias Madre hosted a Cinco de Mayo Pop-Up Margarita Garden on the corner of Melrose Avenue and La Peer Avenue. Guests enjoyed festive atmosphere inside a tent, featuring refreshing margaritas, Mezcal bars by Herradura, La Tierra De Acre, and Mezcal Mal Bien
“Spirit-Free” Cocktails by CUT ABOVE, Hard Kombucha by Flying Embers, and Craft Beer by Rancho West Beer. There were also plant-based bites, and live music entertainment. The event ran from 3pm-9pm.

Later in the evening Micky’s WeHo had their go-go boys decked in sombreros and they had their own Mariachi band called Mariachi Quinto Del Sol. They took requests inside the club and they did not seem to mind that they were competing with some blaring dance music. Then they took their trumpets and guitars outside and people danced on the streets to mariachi music.

Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of the 1862 victory by Mexican troops over invading French forces at the Battle of Puebla. The triumph over the better equipped and more numerous French troops was an enormous emotional boost for the Mexican soldiers led by Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza. Aside from the town of Puebla in Mexico, the holiday is mostly celebrated in the United States.