when is cinco de mayo

Cinco de Mayo is celebrated annually on May 5. It commemorates the Mexican army's victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. This victory was symbolic and significant for Mexican resistance against foreign domination, though it was not a major strategic win in the overall war. The holiday is more widely celebrated in the United States than in Mexico, where it is not a federal holiday but is observed with parades and reenactments, especially in the state of Puebla where the battle took place. It is important to note that Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 16 and marks the start of Mexico's fight for independence from Spain.