Saturday’s Cinco de Mayo parade wasn’t quite the full-scale event it usually is because of the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but thousands lined the sidewalks to watch.

Cinco de Mayo offers an ideal opportunity to build appreciation and understanding of the centuries-old Mexican culture, said Tinamaria Fernandez, executive director of HOPE Esperanza of North Platte.

Torres Saenz said she's attended Detroit's Cinco de Mayo parade for the last 37 years, her entire life. "We have never experienced anything like this before and that's why we are so upset," she said.