Spring is finally here. Along with the sunshine and warm weather come holidays and celebrations that acknowledge not only the season but also our country’s cultural and artistic diversity.

As part of the Cinco de Mayo celebration, the Sac State Multicultural Center and the UNIQUE organization will present an assortment of Mexican musical performances, artistic works and traditional dancing.

The event will take place at noon on Thursday, May 4 at the University Union’s Serna Plaza and will offer free entertainment for all that attend and free food for university students.

The art of dance will also be on display. Traditional Aztec dance will be performed by Sac State’s own Ollin dance group. Dancers will perform some traditional Aztec steps and show off some of the more customary dress that accompanies the legendary ethnic dance.

Maybe the most famous of all the festivities on Cinco de Mayo is the mariachi band. The local mariach ensemble, Mariachi Jalisco will perform several time-honored mariachi numbers in both the library quad prior to the event and in Serna plaza to kick off the festivities.

“We’ve been together for more than eight years,” said band member Leo Alcala of the eight-piece ensemble in a phone interview. “We’ve played all over – Everywhere from the downtown capital to Ernesto’s Restaurant in Sacramento.” Mariachi Jalisco has also been part of the university’s Cinco de Mayo celebrations for the past several years.

Cinco de Mayo is a national Mexican celebration of the country’s victory over the invading French forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

For more information on the Cinco de Mayo festivities contact the Sac State Multicultural Center at (916) 278- 6106.

Josh Huggett can be reached at [email protected].