The Latino Student Union (LSU) held its annual Cinco de Mayo festival yesterday, May 4 in the afternoon in the quad. Many vendors sold food and other goods to raise money for various causes, including LSU, which was raising money for a Latino student scholarship. LSU also invited many Latino dancers, singers and musicians to perform at the festival today.

This year’s Cinco de Mayo celebration has been the biggest so far for LSU. Almost all the seats were filled for the performances in the afternoon. The large turnout means LSU hopes to raise a large amount of money for its scholarship, as well as give other groups such as BSU and the Classes of 2013, 2014 and 2015 a chance to fundraise effectively at the event.

“I was really surprised [that] a lot of the community members showed up today,” LSU Vice president junior Glenda Vargas said. “The quad is filled and I think [this year] is the best we’ve done since we started doing Cinco de Mayo. I had a lot of people coming up to me and saying how the celebrations have never been so good.”

This year’s celebration on May 5 marks the sesquicentennial of the Battle of Puebla, where Mexican forces routed an invading French army. Students of Mexican descent in the Los Altos community enjoy marking the occasion to remind themselves of their Mexican heritage and celebrating Mexican culture in the community.

“I think it’s a really fun time for the Latino community, to show support for the school,” senior and LSU president Salvador Chavez said. “I think this is a way to reach out to the community and something that the whole school can enjoy.”

According to Chavez, the colorful dresses and cheerful music allow the Latino community to remind itself of the joy in life and to live the one life you have to the fullest extent.

“[Being happy] is one of the biggest things in our culture. … Life does get hard but we have to walk with a smile,” Salvador said.

[Photos by Ciera Pasturel]