AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Cinco de Mayo festivities are taking place across the U.S. with music, tacos, and colorful displays of Mexican culture — even if they're not always the most authentic.
The day falls on a Monday this year, meaning the bulk of the celebrations took place over the weekend. In California, a state with a large Mexican American population, there was a mix of art displays, classic car shows, parades and food truck offerings.
In Austin, Texas, events included an opportunity for children to get their photo taken with characters from the Disney animated musical “Encanto," which is itself a celebration of Mexican culture. A luncheon with speakers talking about the significance of the Mexican holiday and Mexican Americans in Austin was planned for Monday.
Here's a look at the celebration and its roots:
What the day celebrates
Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of the 1862 victory by Mexican troops over invading French forces at the Battle of Puebla. The triumph over the better-equipped and much larger French troops was an enormous emotional boost for Mexican soldiers led by Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza.
In Mexico, historical reenactments are held annually in the central city of Puebla to commemorate the victory. Participants dress as Mexican and French troops, and as Zacapoaxtlas — the Indigenous and farmer contingent that helped Mexican troops win.
In the United States the date is seen as a celebration of Mexican American culture, stretching back to the 1800s in California. Festivities typically include parades, street food, block parties, mariachi competitions and baile folklórico, or folkloric ballet, with whirling dancers wearing bright, ruffled dresses and their hair tied with shiny ribbons.
Latino activists and scholars say that disconnect in the U.S. is bolstered by the hazy history of Cinco de Mayo, and marketing that plays on stereotypes that include fake, droopy mustaches and gigantic, colorful sombreros. The day often is mistaken for Mexican Independence Day, which is in September.
The celebrations in the U.S. started as a way for Mexican Americans to preserve their cultural identity, said Sehila Mota Casper, director of Latinos in Heritage Conservation.
“Since then we’ve seen a shift to more commercialization and commodification and mockery over the years," Mota Casper said. "I think that has a lot to do with the commercialization of products and especially Latino heritage.”
Mota Casper encourages people to learn about that day in history and its importance in Mexico.
Jacob Troncoza, 49, said he celebrates Cinco de Mayo in his household because he's proud of his Mexican ancestry.
“I try to make sure that the kids understand what it’s about, which was the revolution, the war, and the battles that our grandfathers fought on,” said Troncoza, who was born in east Los Angeles.