Cinco de Mayo Events and Activities for Kids and Families on Long Island

4/28/14 - By Jaime Sumersille

An unlikely victory for the Mexican army over French forces in the Battle of Puebla led to the celebration known as Cinco de Mayo (the 5th of May). Although not considered a major holiday in Mexico, it has become an extravagant affair in America. Check out this list of family-friendly events, restaurants and DIY options to celebrate this year. And take a look at our Long Island Calendar for more activities.

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Monday, May 5

Cinco de Mayo Kid’s Fun Skate
United Skates of America, Seaford
4-6pm
$5 admission; $5 skate rental, $5 pizza combo
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a roller-skating fiesta and $5 deals. You must print the flier from the website to get the $5 deals.

Restaurants with counter service

Moe's Southwest Grill
Moe's features fast, fresh and natural food and a child-friendly menu. Counter service allows for a quick meal and a clean getaway. This year try a free side of guacamole on Cinco de Mayo at the following locations:

90 Northern Boulevard, Greenvale
516-621-3349

2565 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow
516-520-5160

674 Stewart Avenue, Garden City
516-794-8200

60A Veteran's Highway, Commack
631-486-9400

5288 Sunrise Highway, Massapequa
516-799-2200

14-A Atlantic Avenue, Oceanside
516-255-5550

77 Highway 111, Smithwtown
631-360-6637

Chipotle

Chipotle offers burritos both wrap and bowl style (sans bread). The DIY kids' menu features a taco kit of two soft or crispy taco shells and your choice of three ingredients (one meat or guacamole), or choose from a small quesadilla with a side of rice and beans or a single taco with a side of rice. All kids' menu items are served with kid's chips and juice or organic milk. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at:

1166 Hempstead Turnpike, Uniondale
516-483-1026

630 Old Country Road, Garden City
516-539-3950

901 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale
631-845-4598

135 Old Country Road, Carle Place
516-877-7720

215 N. Broadway, Hicksville
516-822-4074

530 Jericho Turnpike, Mineola
516-294-0709

420 Jericho Turnpike, Syosset
516-762-8862

2335 New Hyde Park Road, New Hyde Park
516-673-9630

435 Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station
631-423-0127

44 Great Neck Road, Great Neck
516-467-0505

1090 The Arches Circle, Deer Park
631-586-0301

694 Motor Parkway, Hauppauge
631-355-7073

Sit down restaurants with kids' menus

On The Border
1401 Broadway Mall, Hicksville
516-342-7777
A child-friendly menu and service make this a great place for families with young kids. Paper menus and placemats come with crayons. For Cinco De Mayo, On the Border will be hosting a DJ and will have raffles all day.

Pancho Villa's 
311 New York Avenue, Huntington
631-349-0022
Pancho Villa's opened in Huntington in 1976. It is a family owned business serving authentic Mexican cuisine. For Cinco de Mayo, there will be a Mariachi band as well as a DJ and Corona drink specials for the adults.

Maria's 
211 Smithtown Boulevard, Nesconset
631-979-7724
For Cinco de Mayo, Maria's will have games, prizes and drink specials all day.

Ideas for an at-home celebration

You don't have to head out to enjoy Cinco de Mayo with the family. Here are some suggestions to turn your at-home dinner into a fiesta the whole family can participate in and enjoy.

Prepare homemade guacomole and corn salsa.

Make Papel Picado
You can turn dinner into a fiesta at home very simply by hanging a few sheets of hand-made papel picado. Papel picado means pierced paper in Spanish and is a form of traditional Mexican folk art used throughout Mexico to mark special occasions. Zoom provides simple instructions for making papel picado with children.

Make Maracas with toilet paper rolls
What's a fiesta without music? Education.com has a quick and easy way to make maracas using dried beans or rice, toilet paper tubes and scraps of paper. Not only will you have a great and fun musical instrument for your Cinco de Mayo fiesta, but you'll be celebrating Earth Day as well by using recycled materials.

Make a Sombrero Hat
Whether you're celebrating Cinco de Mayo at home or at a restaurant you may want to dress the family for the occasion and nothing embodies Mexican culture more than a sombrero. DLTK crafts has a simple sombrero craft for kids. If you don't want to break out the paints, use wrapping paper instead of newspaper, and if you're short on time, skip the threading and glue on some ribbon instead.

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