The world's largest celebration of Mexican heritage and pride, Cinco de Mayo, is fast approaching and the Mission district is making all the preparations for this celebration. The event, which will be happening on May 3, two days prior to the actual holiday, will kick off the festivities in Dolores Park at 10 am. And you can bet there will be thousands more dancing, eating, and drinking right along side of you.

Commonly misconcieved as the "Mexican Independence Day," Cinco de Mayo actually isn't anywhere close to their Independence Day date on September 16. Rather, this holiday was created as more of a celebration of the solidarity among Mexican and Latino immigrants to the USA. With that comes a showcase of traditional Mexican food, drink, and music: Dozens of local shops and vendors will be selling the best they have to offer, while mariachi bands will be serenading the eventgoers with their best songs.

Entrance to the park is free, but if you want to nosh on some authentic Mexican cuisine or down a margarita or two, you may want to bring a few bucks. For more information, check out the SF Cinco de Mayo Website.