It’s not drinko de Mayo!
The Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo is often celebrated in the United States by rowdy crowds throwing down tequila shots and wearing sombreros. But for those looking to celebrate Mexico’s victory over French forces in the Battle of Puebla without guzzling down Tecates, we have put together a list of activities that will keep you feeling festive without the hangover.
Cinco de borough
Party it up with the Beep at the Borough Hall Fiesta, presided over by Borough President Adams. This sober celebration of Mexican independence will feature a Mexican flag raising ceremony, followed by a reception with the honorable consul general of Mexico. The event is free, but an RSVP is required.
Fiesta at Borough Hall (209 Joralemon St. at Court Street Downtown, www.brook
In the cocina
Skip the lines at your local Mexican restaurant and learn to make your own tacos! For $95, the instructors at Brooklyn Kitchen will teach you how to cook up homemade corn and flour tortillas, roast salsa verde, and to put together skirt steak and fish tempura tacos.
Tacos! at Brooklyn Kitchen (100 Frost St. at Leonard Street in Williamsburg, www.thebr
Mope in Mayo
Former Smiths frontman Morrissey is beloved in Mexico, and the seven-piece act Mexrissey — a Morrissey cover band from Mexico City — will perform his songs with a Spanish twist, presenting the dramatic dirges with a heavy dose of horns and Latin rhythms.
Mexrissey at Brooklyn Bowl [61 Wythe Ave. between N. 11th and N. 12th streets in Williamsburg, (718) 963–3369], www.brook
Brush with limelight
Trade in your Corona for a paintbrush and a Wine-a-Rita at a special Cinco de Mayo painting class at Fort Greene’s Wine and Design. At this high-brow but low-octane activity, you can create your own painting of a margarita while sipping on the special vino cocktail, so you will have something to bring home for the wall.
Cinco de Mayo at Wine and Design [218 DeKalb Ave. between Adelphi Street and Clermont Avenue in Fort Greene, (718) 722–7374, www.winea
Into the night
It’s a hot one! For Cinco de Mayo, all-star group the Black Rock Coalition Orchestra will perform a tribute to the music of Mexican-American artist Carlos Santana. This show is going to be smooth!
BAM Cafe (30 Lafayette Ave. at Ashland Place in Fort Greene, www.bam.org). May 5 at 9 pm. Free.
Three for Cinco
Wind down after Cinco de Mayo by listening to a live mariachi band and watching tres movie stars fight bad guys south of the border. Nitehawk Cinema will screen the 1986 comedy “Three Amigos!,” at two brunch shows, and the Grammy-nominated outfit Mariachi Flor de Toloache — New York’s first and only all-female mariachi band — will treat audiences to a fiery performance before each screening.
Nitehawk Cinema [136 Metropolitan Ave. between Wythe Avenue and Berry Street in Williamsburg, (718) 384–3980, www.niteh