On May 4, 2014—because the actual Cinco date fell on a Monday—a parade marched west on Cermak. It started at noon in Pilsen, headed throught the heart of Little Village, and wrapped up on a barely sunny afternoon at Kedzie in South Lawndale. 

Along with the floats, costumes, candy, and kids, there was just a ton of noise—both from the parade floats, the cars, and the speakers propped in the the wide-open doors at the businesses along Cermak. Around Damen, the governor showed up.

It was, all in all, a fine rememberance of the victory the Mexican forces had over the invading French army in the Battle of Puebla on the fifth day of May, 1862.