Fiesta U.S.A. recognizes celebrations throughout Hispanic cultures in the United States. Ancona invites us into the preparation, history and celebration of these significant holidays. The fiestas included in the book are the Day of the Dead, Las Posadas, New Years Day, the dance, la Matachines, and Three Kings Day. Each of these fiestas is set in different cities and parts of the country. The fiestas being set in various cities across the United States gives the reader a diverse look of how they are celebrated.  

In the book, the celebration of the Day of the Dead takes place in San Francisco. A brief history of the holiday along with various activities are presented to the reader. Foods of the holiday and examples of alters honoring the dead are accurately portrayed through photographs. With painted faces and costumes depicting the dead, the people celebrate with a parade through their barrio. The photographs capture participants reverence and smiles of reverie during the celebration.

The celebration of Las Posades takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Las Posades is a celebration that takes place nine days before Christmas. The celebration reenacts the attempts to find lodging by Mary and Joseph. The town is illuminated with paper lanterns and Christmas cookies, bizcochitos are made.  

Children are chosen to be Mary and Joseph and are dressed for the reenactment. The procession of people go to designated homes and are turned away for lodging until they come to the ninth house. Mary and Joseph are finally invited to stay. After the reenactment is complete a large party begins with food, music, and activities.

In El Rancho, New Mexico on New Years day, we are shown the traditional dance known as Los Matachines being performed. This dance celebrates the arrival of Christianity by the Spanish conqueror Cortes.  The participants in the dance represent Mexico’s Aztec heritage and its conversion to Christianity by many of its people. The intricate dance consists of many characters including a king, a grandfather figure, an Aztec princess, and a bull. Los Matachines is the beginning of a day long celebration of food, dance, and music.

Three Kings Day is celebrated on the sixth of January. Ancona depicts the celebration in the barrio of Harlem in New York. Large paper mache puppets are built to depict the three wise men. Their faces are colored in shades of brown and black or depicted as colorful masks. The puppets are carried in a parade through the barrio. Children and adults are also seen dressed as the three wise men. Animals that were present at the birth of Jesus are part of the parade. The parade ends in a celebration with music, dance, and food.