Colorful clothing, parades, music, and dancing are part of many Cinco de Mayo celebrations.

Richard Levine/Alamy Stock Photo (celebration); Shutterstock.com (all other images)

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Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo means “the fifth of May” in Spanish. It’s a special day for people of Mexican heritage. On that date in 1862, Mexico won a big battle against France. 

That victory is still a source of pride in Mexico. Some schools are closed on May 5. And people often celebrate Mexican culture with traditional foods, like chalupas. Those are thick tortillas that are fried. They are often topped with meat, cheese, and salsa. 

Over the years, Cinco de Mayo has become a popular holiday in the United States too. Cities like Chicago, Houston, New York, and Denver have exciting Cinco de Mayo celebrations.  

Los Angeles has one of the largest events. More than 600,000 people celebrate the day with parades, music, and fiestas, or parties.

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