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Festivities on the fifth

People wear colorful dresses and dance during Cinco de Mayo celebrations to honor Mexican culture and traditions, according to National Geographic online.
People wear colorful dresses and dance during Cinco de Mayo celebrations to honor Mexican culture and traditions, according to National Geographic online.
Photo by Bisayan Lady via Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Cinco de Mayo is a festive Mexican holiday celebrated on May 5. Some students, like Allison Rubio Hernandez, from Patrick M. Villano School say they look forward to it each year.

“It’s such a fun holiday because my family celebrates it a lot since we are from that culture,” Hernandez, a sixth-grader, said.

Hernandez explained that celebrations of Cinco de Mayo include Mexican food such as tacos and quesadillas, attending festivals with mariachi music, and hosting parties with decorations and games.

“I really like Cinco de Mayo because it reminds me how special my culture is and all the rights the Mexicans fought for,” Ethan Lantigua, another sixth-grader, said.

Like the Lantigua family, many families celebrate Cinco de Mayo on May 5. The holiday remembers the Battle of Puebla in 1862, when Mexican soldiers defeated French troops that were invading Mexico.

According to the Britannica Kids online, “The Mexican people remember the event by listening to political speeches and watching parades. Reenactments of the battle are often part of the celebration as well.”

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