Cinco de Mayo is a celebration that commemorates the Mexican's patriotism and bravery during the French occupation of Mexico in the mid-19th century. The name of the event, which literally means the “fifth of May,” refers to the date when the Mexican triumphed over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.
In the United States and in the Mexican state of Puebla, Cinco de Mayo parades and street parties attract between 500,000 to a million revelers every year.
Often mistaken for an entirely different event, the Mexican Independence Day (which is celebrated every September 16), Cinco de Mayo is nonetheless one of the most popular celebrations of Mexicans, whether in their native Mexico or abroad in places with high concentrations of Mexican immigrants and descendants.
The event has evolved to become a celebration of all things Mexican, and it is usually marked with parades, traditional Mexican dances, mariachi music, lots of Mexican food, drinks and pinatas. With the commercialization of Cinco de Mayo in recent years, raucous concerts had also become part of the festivities.