Thousands of people showed up for the 35th annual Cinco de Mayo Festival in downtown Watsonville Sunday for live music, food, dancing and arts and crafts.
Hosted by Fiestas Patrias, the free seven-hour event unfolded on a closed section of Main Street, across the plaza and on Peck Street, and offered live music from local bands and from as far away as Jalisco, Mexico.
“The annual festivals of Fiestas Patrias bring residents together from throughout the Monterey Bay Area to celebrate and to learn about the heritage and culture of Mexico,” said Sayo Fujioka of Fiestas Patrias.
Cinco de Mayo commemorates Mexico’s defense of the city of Puebla from French invaders who stormed Mexico in 1862. Mexican Army officer and politician Ignacio Zaragoza was responsible for leading the Mexican army who forced French troops to retreat, despite being vastly outnumbered.
Although Cinco de Mayo often garners more attention in the United States, September 16 remains the traditional celebration of Mexican independence from Spain.
This year’s event was punctuated by the presentation of five proclamations and one resolution Watsonville Mayor Maria Orozco, Supervisor Felipe Hernandez and others to recognize organizers for the continued efforts in running the event since 1989.
Fiestas Patrias de Watsonville is an all-volunteer community organization that aims to support local downtown businesses.
