Cinco de Mayo

About Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo, celebrated on 5 May, marks Mexico's victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Outnumbered Mexican troops under General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated a larger, better-equipped French army. The win became a lasting symbol of resistance and national pride, though it did not end the French intervention that followed.

In Mexico the day is relatively minor, observed mainly in Puebla with military parades, battle re-enactments and civic events. It is not a federal day off nationwide. In the United States, however, Cinco de Mayo grew into a large celebration of Mexican-American culture, featuring parades, music, folk dance and Mexican food and drink.