Just as Americans of all ethnicities join to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Oktoberfest and Chinese New Year, Mexico's Cinco de Mayo has become yet another reason for Americans to party.

The observance has become increasingly popular in the South Hills, where a number of restaurants are hosting special Cinco de Mayo events and promotions Tuesday.

Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not, like July 4 in the United States, an Independence Day observance. Rather it marks the day on which the Mexican military defeated a better-equipped and larger French army in the state of Puebla in 1862. The victory hastened the eventual ouster of the French.

Marisol Wandiga, president of the Latin-American Cultural Union of Pittsburgh, said that in the last U.S. Census, the Latino community constituted about one percent of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.

"I believe that, since then, we've grown to make up about 3 percent of the region's population, although I'm not able to break down the statistics by nationality within the Latin American community," she said.

"Rather than belong to a specific social or cultural organization in our area, Mexican Americans tend to congregate and socialize at churches, restaurants and cultural events," Ms. Wandiga said. .

Statistics show that Muse, Washington County, has a high concentration of Mexican-Americans living there.Many are employed in the farming, landscaping and restaurant trades and attend Holy Rosary Church on Orchard Street, where on Sunday afternoons a Mass is celebrated in Spanish, said the Rev. George DeVille.

Brandon Wallace, program director for the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, said that although the Mexican-American community has been growing in the Pittsburgh in the past few decades, his organization is finding out that the community, a mix of students, professionals and families, is somewhat low-profile.

"I think that's going to change in the next few years because prominent Mexican-Americans, including doctors and lawyers, are stepping up to the plate to provide leadership skills."

Mr. Wallace, a resident of Edgewood, is married to a first generation Mexican-American, Melissa Guerra-Wallace, and the couple plan to spend Cinco de Mayo having dinner at one of their favorite Mexican restaurants.

One of the region's strongest Hispanic cultural resources can be found at the University of Pittsburgh's Hillman Library. Eduardo Lozano, director of the library's Latin American collection, amassed a collection of 34,000 Hispanic-focused volumes and films.

"The collection really puts Pittsburgh on the map for students of Latino culture with a world class resource recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as one of the top Hispanic collections in the nation," Ms. Wandiga said.

For a more high-brow Cinco de Mayo alternative to partying at a Mexican restaurant, the Citizens Library of Washington will stage a free concert at 7 p.m. Wednesday of music from Mexico and Latin America, including some compositions that have never before been performed. The ten musicians in the all-string ensemble either regularly perform with the Washington Symphony Orchestra or are alumni of the music departments of Duquesne or Carnegie Mellon universities.

Yucatan-born Alejandro Pinzon, currently a teacher of music and Spanish at First Love Christian Academy in Washington, will conduct.

Also a violinist, Mr. Pinzon will be making his Pennsylvania conducting debut at the Citizens Library concert, 55 S. College Street in Washington. Admission is free and Mexican snacks and non-alcoholic margaritas will be served. For more, call 724-222-2400.

Freelance writer Dave Zuchowski can be reached in care of suburbanliving@post-gazette.com.

Just as Americans of all ethnicities join to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Oktoberfest and Chinese New Year, Mexico's Cinco de Mayo has become yet another reason for Americans to party.

The observance has become increasingly popular in the South Hills, where a number of restaurants are hosting special Cinco de Mayo events and promotions Tuesday.

Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not, like July 4 in the United States, an Independence Day observance. Rather it marks the day on which the Mexican military defeated a better-equipped and larger French army in the state of Puebla in 1862. The victory hastened the eventual ouster of the French.

Marisol Wandiga, president of the Latin-American Cultural Union of Pittsburgh, said that in the last U.S. Census, the Latino community constituted about one percent of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.

"I believe that, since then, we've grown to make up about 3 percent of the region's population, although I'm not able to break down the statistics by nationality within the Latin American community," she said.

"Rather than belong to a specific social or cultural organization in our area, Mexican Americans tend to congregate and socialize at churches, restaurants and cultural events," Ms. Wandiga said. .

Statistics show that Muse, Washington County, has a high concentration of Mexican-Americans living there.Many are employed in the farming, landscaping and restaurant trades and attend Holy Rosary Church on Orchard Street, where on Sunday afternoons a Mass is celebrated in Spanish, said the Rev. George DeVille.

Brandon Wallace, program director for the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, said that although the Mexican-American community has been growing in the Pittsburgh in the past few decades, his organization is finding out that the community, a mix of students, professionals and families, is somewhat low-profile.

"I think that's going to change in the next few years because prominent Mexican-Americans, including doctors and lawyers, are stepping up to the plate to provide leadership skills."

Mr. Wallace, a resident of Edgewood, is married to a first generation Mexican-American, Melissa Guerra-Wallace, and the couple plan to spend Cinco de Mayo having dinner at one of their favorite Mexican restaurants.

One of the region's strongest Hispanic cultural resources can be found at the University of Pittsburgh's Hillman Library. Eduardo Lozano, director of the library's Latin American collection, amassed a collection of 34,000 Hispanic-focused volumes and films.

"The collection really puts Pittsburgh on the map for students of Latino culture with a world class resource recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as one of the top Hispanic collections in the nation," Ms. Wandiga said.

For a more high-brow Cinco de Mayo alternative to partying at a Mexican restaurant, the Citizens Library of Washington will stage a free concert at 7 p.m. Wednesday of music from Mexico and Latin America, including some compositions that have never before been performed. The ten musicians in the all-string ensemble either regularly perform with the Washington Symphony Orchestra or are alumni of the music departments of Duquesne or Carnegie Mellon universities.

Yucatan-born Alejandro Pinzon, currently a teacher of music and Spanish at First Love Christian Academy in Washington, will conduct.

Also a violinist, Mr. Pinzon will be making his Pennsylvania conducting debut at the Citizens Library concert, 55 S. College Street in Washington. Admission is free and Mexican snacks and non-alcoholic margaritas will be served. For more, call 724-222-2400.