Cinco de Mayo festivities are taking place across the U.S. with music, tacos and tequila flowing. In the U.S., the date is seen as a celebration of Mexican American culture, stretching back to the 1800s in California.

Cinco de Mayo, which translates to the 5th of May, has become associated with tacos and margaritas, but the holiday is about so much more than that.

Osblado Rodriguez, with Federacion de Clubes Zacatecanos del Norte de California, performs during the 2nd Annual San Jose Cinco de Mayo Celebration Parade in San Jose, Calif., on Sunday, May 4, 2025. The parade was along King Road from Alum Rock Avenue to Virginia Avenue. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)