Cinco de Mayo is observed in, Spartanburg, Anderson with festivals, food, and drink specials at local bars and restaurants.

The celebration of Cinco de Mayo began as a form of resistance to the effects of the Mexican-American War, which occurred in the late 19th century. The holiday gained popularity during the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. By the 1980s, companies began commercializing the holiday.