United States: Across the United States, people celebrate Cinco de Mayo through music performances and taco and tequila consumption while displaying Mexican culture, even if they’re not always the most authentic.
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This year, Cinco de Mayo landed on a Monday, which shifted most celebration activities into the preceding weekend.
The celebration in California, along with its big Mexican American demographic, included museum art exhibits, classic car exhibitions, street parades, and mobile food vendors.
Dallas, Texas, hosted two main Cinco de Mayo events: the traditional Cinco de Mayo parade through Jefferson Boulevard in Oak Cliff, followed by a Cinco de Mayo market at Trinity Groves, lasting events at Dallas Farmers Market, and multiple restaurant festivities.
Historical background
Every year in Cinco de Mayo, people commemorate Mexican forces successfully defeating French forces during the Battle of Puebla in 1862.
General Ignacio Zaragoza led Mexican troops to overcome the much larger French force with inferior equipment, which gave his soldiers an enormous boost in victory.
Cinco de Mayo, meaning "Fifth of May" in Spanish, is a holiday that commemorates the Mexican army's victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, the outnumbered Mexican troops defeated the better-equipped French army under… pic.twitter.com/cLd1SWf1fp
— thereal305coin (@thereal305coin) May 5, 2025
Every year, Puebla hosts its reenactments throughout the city to commemorate the Mexican victory in central Mexico.
The historical reenactment features actors dressing as soldiers of Mexican forces and French soldiers together with Zacapoaxtlas, who assembled as Indigenous and farmer volunteers to support the Mexican army victory.
United States residents regard this date as an occasion to celebrate Mexican American traditions that began in California during the 1800s.
The traditional celebrations unite parades, street snacks, neighborhood celebrations, and symphonic music competitions combined with folkloric ballet performances displaying graceful dancers who dress in colorful costumes with elaborate hair decorations.
The majority of American residents from both Mexican descent and non-Mexican backgrounds use September 16 to drink tequila while consuming all types of Mexican snacks.
According to the director of Latinos in Heritage Conservation, Sehila Mota Casper, Mexican Americans began the United States celebrations to protect their cultural heritage.
“Since then, we’ve seen a shift to more commercialization and commodification and mockery over the years,” Mota Casper stated.
Happy #CincoDeMayo ! Cinco de Mayo, the 5th of May, commemorates the Mexican military victory over French forces of Napoleon III at Puebla in 1862. It is not a federal holiday in Mexico. In the US, it is an opportunity to celebrate Mexican culture and heritage. pic.twitter.com/WY9ugYyOUi
— All the King's Flags (@allkingsflags) May 5, 2025
“I think that has a lot to do with the commercialization of products and especially Latino heritage,” Casper noted.
Mixed Recognition of Cinco de Mayo in Politics
As president of the White House, President Trump has sustained his practice of classifying Mexican immigrants through criminal and gang membership labels.
His administration attempted to abolish birthright citizenship while he renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and terminated the federal diversity programs.
Mr. Trump acknowledged Cinco de Mayo during his first term, posting on X, “Happy #CincoDeMayo!” and “I love Hispanics!” as he sat with a “taco bowl.”
The 2016 presidential election revealed that young Hispanic male voters chose Mr. Trump following their rightward political shift.
The administration is uncertain about future actions toward the recognition of Cinco de Mayo despite its Mexican national status, although lacking official status in the United States.
The Associated Press sent an email through electronic communication to receive the White House Press Office response.