Ahead of the official day of Cinco de Mayo, hundreds of people headed to Old Town over the weekend to celebrate at Fiesta de Reyes held at the State Park. This year, the group Ballet Folklorico Real de San Diego took to the stage to perform traditional Mexican dances. Each dancer featured a dress honoring the Mexican state of Jalisco.

From Vista to Escondido, San Diego County is gearing up for Cinco de Mayo celebrations throughout this weekend.

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.