Cinco de Marcho: The story behind the made-up holiday and how to celebrate

It’s not one of the major holidays that take place during the month of March and definitely hasn’t got the pull, or global repute of St Patrick’s Day, but this little-known holiday is right up there with National Puppy Day, Mermaid Day and of course, National Banana Cream Pie Day... some of the events celebrated during the third calendar month of the year.

Cinco de Marcho is a relative newcomer to the list of red letter day happenings. It hasn’t been going that long at all, but for the last few years, it has been religiously celebrated by some folks every March 5.

In Spanish Cinco de Marzo translates at ‘the fifth of March’ in English, and Cinco de Marcho is a mixture of the two languages - for a typically ‘Spanglish’ celebration.

A prelude to St Patrick’s Day... sort of

It was the brainchild of a mystery reveller who goes by the name ‘Carlos Fantastico’ - not as a direct alternative to St Patrick’s Day, but something along similar lines, more as a warm-up, a mini training session for when Ireland celebrates its patron saint on March 17.

Back in 2007, Carlos had just finished dinner at his favorite Mexican restaurant, El Matador and was savoring a post-dinner copita - a margarita, a classic Mexican cocktail. Looking around the dining area, he couldn’t help but notice that the entire room was decked out in orange, white and green - the colors of Ireland, ready for St Patrick’s, less than a couple of weeks away.

It made him think. If St Patrick’s Day is celebrated in all corners of the world, not just in Ireland and not just by the Irish, why not have something similar to celebrate both Mexican and Irish cultures? A time to relax and have fun, maybe with a drink or two if you feel like it.

As it was March 5, he already had a name - Cinco de (‘fifth of’ in Spanish) and to give a humorous twist, Marcho - for the month of March, in line with how some non-Spanish speaking, English speakers have a habit of adding an ‘o’ on the end of English words, thinking it makes them sound more Spanish... It was also a play on Cinco de Mayo - the anniversary of May 5, 1862, the date when the Mexican army won the Franco-Mexican War at the Battle of Puebla.

And so Cinco de Marcho was born.

Sip a cool green margarita

Carlos insists that the celebration isn’t about drinking excessively but more about discovering your own limit and having fun. Cinco de Marcho is best suited to moderate drinkers - even teetotalers are welcome to take part.

The best way to celebrate is to tuck into a green margarita - a classic Mexican cocktail of tequila, triple sec and lime juice.

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