Cinco de Mayo business booms in US

Grab the guacamole; pour some cerveza; and slip on a sombrero.

It's time to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!

It's not a big deal south of the border. But here in the U.S., May 5th has turned into an excuse to party.

The day actually commemorates an obscure Mexican army win against the French in the 1800s.

One research firm says Americans bought $600 million worth of beer last year which is second only to New Year's Eve.

The nearly 30,000 Mexican restaurants in the U.S. are gearing up for a lot of customers and imports of Mexican beers like Corona and Dos Equis surge 15 percent ahead of May 5th.

Search app Foursquare says most users are looking for activities and food. Things like spicy guacamole, authentic Mexican food, frozen margaritas, mariachi bands and even tequila shots should be tops on the search list again this year.

Guacamole sales also skyrocket during the holiday.

According to the California Avocado Commission, a staggering 81 million avocados will be consumed on Cinco de Mayo.

According to Google, guacamole is one of the most searched foods in the week leading up to the holiday. But it doesn't crack the top three.

That honor goes to Pico de Gallo, enchiladas and margarita cupcakes!

Get more from Lauren Simonetti here: https://twitter.com/simonettilauren

Check out these local places for Cinco de Mayo fun:

El Centro: http://www.richardsandoval.com/elcentrodf

City Tap House DC: http://www.citytaphousedc.com/

Mio Restaurant: http://miorestaurant.com/

Masa 14: http://www.richardsandoval.com/masa14/

Zengo: http://www.richardsandoval.com/zengodc/index.php

Toro Toro: http://www.richardsandoval.com/torotorodc

If you have too much to drink while celebrating Cinco de Mayo, consider the Washington Regional Alcohol Program's SoberRide campaign – which will be offered from 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 5 until 4:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 6, 2015. Get the details here: http://www.wrap.org/soberride/