A big day in East LA for the Mexican Independence Day Parade and Festival after a two-year pandemic hiatus.
Thousands of people are expected to come out and show their Mexican pride.
The grand marshal of the parade will be beloved baseball player and former Dodger, Fernando Valenzuela.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
The parade and festival will have two themes it will be honoring this year.
The first theme is "United for Strong Physical and Mental Health" with the intention of raising awareness in the community on how to prevent lethal infections and how to support mentally unstable loved ones.
The second theme is honoring the heroes of the pandemic. It is a tribute to all of the healthcare workers who have worked to save lives during the pandemic.
"We will be with the traditions, the dances, and music, and most importantly with the people," said Francisco Moreno, the president of Comité Mexicano Civico Patriótico.
Every state of Mexico will be celebrated in the parade and the festival.
"This is the longest running Mexican parade outside of Mexico," Moreno said. "We are really proud of our Mexican roots."
The parade will start on Caesar Chaves Ave. and end on Record Ave.
