Bay Area cities get ready to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this weekend
With Cinco de Mayo falling on Monday this year many cities are holding celebrations this weekend.
There will be road closures in San Francisco and San Jose for lowrider parades on Sunday.
San Jose Cinco de Mayo celebrations
There are two large celebrations planned in San Jose for Cinco de Mayo.
- Downtown Cinco de Mayo Festival
- San Jose Cinco de Mayo Celebration and Parade
- Cinco de Mayo car show
Road closures for car show on Saturday, May 3:
San Jose Police is increasing staffing for the weekend celebrations. There will be road closures in East San Jose for the parade and celebration.
"Cinco de Mayo in San José is a celebration of culture, family, and community," said SJPD Chief of Police Paul Joseph. "The San José Police Department is committed to making sure everyone can enjoy it safely by providing a strong presence throughout the weekend and addressing any disruptive behavior that threatens public safety."
Road closures for San Jose Cinco de Mayo Celebration and Parade:
San Francisco Cinco de Mayo Parade
Road closures and MUNI route cancellations for lowrider parade:
What is Cinco de Mayo?
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 more numerous French troops was an enormous emotional boost for the Mexican soldiers led by Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza.
Historical reenactments and parades are held annually in the central Mexico city of Puebla to commemorate the inspirational victory, with participants dressed in historical French and Mexican army uniforms.
With May 5 being more popular in the U.S., there was some previous confusion that May 5 was Mexico's Independence Day which is actually Sept. 16.
