Cinco de Mayo ("5th of May" in English) is primarily a regional and not an obligatory federal holiday in Mexico. blank">This list of official Mexican holidays indicates that Cinco de Mayo is not a dia feriado obligatorio ("obligatory holiday"), but is instead a holiday that can be voluntarily observed. Accessed Oct. 30, 2007 "The anniversary of the victory is celebrated only sporadically in Mexico" - National Geographic Accessed Dec. 4, 2007 "I have yet to see any big hoopla occur on May 5." Accessed May 5, 2007 "It may surprise some to learn that Cinco de Mayo is not even a federal holiday in México. Banks and government offices are open. Restaurant menus remain the same. And companies don't splurge on ad campaigns" Accessed Oct. 30, 2007 The date is observed in the _United States and other locations around the world as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride.
A common misconception in the United States is that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day; Mexico's Independence Day is actually September 16 (dieciséis de septiembre in Spanish), which is the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico.
