La Sandia cocktail.

What is Mexican Independence Day and why should we celebrate it? It’s the day Mexico gained its freedom from Spain — that’s right, Cinco de Mayo is for something else — and, hullo?, drink specials!

Here are some bar events going on around town this Wednesday and Thursday in case you need an excuse to drink:

El Carmen in Midcity: It ain’t a celebration without mariachi and El Carmen has got ’em on today from 9-11pm. But you can party before then starting at 5pm and after with food and drink specials, including $4 margaritas.

La Sandia in Santa Monica Place: Score a three-tequila tequila flight for only $10 at this beachside Mexican restaurant. You get to take your pick out of 20 varieties! This special goes through til the 19th. They also have a happy hour Monday-Friday from 4-7pm when you can get $5 house margaritas, passion fruit mojitos or sangria.

Malo in Silver Lake: For Thursday, the Eastside cantina is boasting salsa made from the hottest pepper in the world, “Bhut Jolokia,” as well as dishes like beef machaca hard shell tacos and Red Chile Crab Salpicon on cucumber cups. For drinks, they’ve got a shot of Milagro Silver with a can of Tecate and two flavored margaritas — the prickly pear and the strawberry mint.

Trader Vic’s LA Live: Yeah, don’t know what this Mexico-centric day has to do with tiki but they’ll be offering $5 Tequila Sunrises and margaritas, $3 beer and $5 food like Nacho cheese, chicken soft tacos and quesadillas on Wednesday.