Event Calendar

Cinco de Mayo, (Spanish for "Fifth of May") is a national holiday in Mexico commemorating the Mexican Army's defeat of French forces on May 5, 1862, in the Batalla de Puebla (Battle of Puebla). During the battle, General Ignacio Zaragoza led the vastly outnumbered Mexican army to victory over the French forces of Emperor Napoleon III. The triumph of Mexican forces at the Battle of Puebla became a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism. Today it is not only celebrated in Mexico but also regions across the United States with sizable communities of Mexican origin. Particularly well known is the celebration in Los Angeles, California, on the streets outside City Hall. Festivities often include sports events, parades, mariachi music and dancing, picnics featuring Mexican food, and more.

Mother's Day is a day honoring mothers. Different countries celebrate Mother's Day on various days of the year because the day has a number of different origins. The United States celebrates Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May.

John F. Kennedy signed the bill into law on October 1, 1962, when Congress asked the president to designate May 15 to honor peace officers. To pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and to voice our appreciation for all those who currently serve on the front lines of the battle against crime, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved October 1, 1962 (75 Stat.676), has authorized and requested the President to designate May 15 of each year as "Peace Officers Memorial Day," and the week in which it falls as "National Police Week" and by Public Law 103-322 (36 U.S.C. 175) has requested that the flag be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers' Memorial Day. Amended in 1994, Bill Clinton, through Public Law 103-322, directed that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff on May 15. According to a proclamation by George W. Bush in 2002, "Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week pay tribute to the local, State, and Federal law enforcement officers who serve and protect us with courage and dedication. These observances also remind us of the ongoing need to be vigilant against all forms of crime, especially to acts of extreme violence and terrorism." Let's take a moment to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifices, for their legacy will endure.

Armed Forces Day is a day to salute all of the men and women in all branches of the service who protect our country. They can be called upon at a moment's notice to perform a risky and perilous mission for freedom and country. They train diligently both physically and mentally so they will be prepared to prevail in any mission they face. Just how did it all begin? Well, each branch of the military had their own day of celebration. But, on August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of Armed Forces Day. President Harry Truman also announced the holiday in a presidential proclamation on February 20, 1950. All branches of the military were asked to celebrate on this day and they complied on the first Armed Forces Day which was held the following year on May 20, 1950.

Full Flower Moon, was also known as the Mother’s Moon, Milk Moon, and Corn Planting Moon Depending on the native American tribe. This Moon marked a time of increasing fertility with temperatures warm enough for safely bearing young, a near end to late frosts, and plants in bloom. Full moon is a lunar phase that occurs when the geocentric apparent longitudes of the Sun and Moon differ by 180 degrees; the Moon is then in opposition with the Sun. At this time, as seen by viewers on Earth, the hemisphere of the Moon that is facing the earth (the near side) is fully illuminated by the Sun and appears round. Only during a full moon is the opposite hemisphere of the Moon, which is not visible from Earth (the far side), completely unilluminated. As a lunar month is about 29.531, the period between full moons can be either 29 or 30 days.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in military service for the United States. While there is some dispute as to the origin of the day, the first was observed on May 30, 1868, under proclamation by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. The first official observation involved placing flowers on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. Many cities have laid claim to have begun Memorial Day, though President Lyndon Johnson officially declared Waterloo N.Y. as the birthplace of Memorial Day in May 1966. Memorial Day was celebrated on May 30 up to 1971 when the National Holiday Act of 1971, designated the last Monday in May to be Memorial Day.