Saint Paul’s historic west side was alive with the annual Cinco de Mayo festival.
The holiday is Monday, and it’s much more low-key than some of the large parties that took place over the weekend.
Riverview Spanish-English Dual Immersion school teacher Izaskun Lejarcegui says their students know it’s a big day in their heritage.
"They always look for this day," says Lejarcegui. "They all they know about Cinco de Mayo and this morning when they came they say 'Cinco de Mayo, it's Cinco de Mayo, we have to celebrate.' So they come already willing to celebrate Cinco de Mayo."
Students at the school are getting many lessons on Cinco de Mayo and Lejarcegui says the younger generation needs to know all about their history and how their native country became free.
Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of Mexico’s victory over French forces in the Battle of Pueblo. While the battle was a significant victory, contrary to popular belief it did not lead to Mexico's independence.
More popular in the United States than in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo became associated with the celebration of Mexican-American culture. Celebrations began in Columbia, California, where they have been observed annually since 1862.
"They have to know the history of their country where they came from," Lejarcegui explains. "Many of the families at Riverview are from Mexico. They need to know how is it that they became independent and how important the language is and how we have to keep up with the language."
West Saint Paul hosted its annual Cinco de Mayo festival over the weekend. Its considered one of the largest of its kind in the U.S.
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.
It's not all about tequila and tacos
For many Americans with or without Mexican ancestry, the day is an excuse to toss back tequila shots and gorge on tortilla chips, nachos and tacos.
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.
Others, like Andrea Ruiz don't because her Mexican dad never did. But she noted what she deemed the irony in widespread celebrations.
“I think it’s funny Trump … and all of his supporters want to get Mexicans out, call them criminals, but then on Cinco de Mayo, they want to go and eat tacos and drink tequila,” the 23-year-old Ruiz said.
Political rhetoric
Since returning to the White House, Trump has continued to label Mexican immigrants as criminals and gang members. He's also sought to end birthright citizenship, renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and ended the federal government's diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Trump acknowledged Cinco de Mayo during his first term, posting on X, “Happy #CincoDeMayo!” and “I love Hispanics!” as he sat with a “taco bowl.” In the last presidential election, data showed more young Hispanic men moved to the right and voted for Trump.
It's unclear if the current administration will acknowledge Cinco de Mayo — designated a holiday in Mexico but not in the United States. The Associated Press sent an email to the White House Press Office late Friday seeking comment.
Trump's handling of immigration remains a point of strength as he ramps up deportations and targets people living in the U.S. without legal status, according to a recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. While Trump’s actions remain divisive, there’s less of a consensus that the Republican president has overstepped on immigration than on other issues, the poll found.
Organizers of Chicago's Cinco de Mayo parade said they canceled it because the city has become a target for immigration agents.