September Festivals – San Miguel de Allende

In September in San Miguel de Allende there are three main festivals:

• September 1^st -President’s State of the Union Address or Dia del Informe Presidencial

• September 15^th - September 16^th Independence Day

• Fiesta of San Miguel Arcangel in San Miguel de Allende

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President’s State of the Union Address or Dia del Informe Presidencial

Mexican President Felipe De Jesus Calderon Hinojosa

September 1^st is the traditional day that the Mexican President gives the State of the Union Address. People across

Mexico will be tuning in to hear what he has to say about their country. It is an unofficial holiday.

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Independence Day or El Grito de Independencia

The zocalo in Mexico City getting ready for Independence Day

On the night of September 15^th, in every city in Mexico, people gather at their main Plaza or the Zocalo in

Mexcio

City (one of the largest plazas in the world,) to celebrate Mexican Independence from

Spain. Flags wave from almost every house and building. Everything is decorated in the national colors of green, red, and white: buildings, dogs, people and cars.

San Miguel de Allende decorated for Independence Day

On every street corner, there are vendors selling; flags, balloons, hats and t-shirts. Food plays a huge part in the festivities, there are Antojitos, or Mexican finger foods, fresh mangos, papayas, sugar cane, coconuts, watermelons and corn on the cob. It is a delicious smorgasbord of smells and tastes.

While everyone waits for the countdown to midnight, there is dancing, music, mariachis, and lots of partying.

At the stroke of midnight, the President or mayor of the city comes out onto the balcony, rings a bell and utters the famous battle cry,”El Grito el Independencia.” In

Mexico City, the President of Mexico, re-enacts the event. He rings the original bell, which was brought to Mexico Cityby order of President Porfirio Diaz and placed above the middle balcony of the National Palace and repeats Miguel Hidalgo’s ““El Grito el Independencia.” “Long live religion!, Long live Our Lady ofGuadalupe! Long live the

Americas and death to the corrupt government! Viva

Mexico!” Then there is an enormous firework display.

Miguel Hidalo “El Grito el Independencia”

Fireworks in San Miguel de Allende, Independence Day

On the 16th of September in

Mexico City there is a National Military Parade. Mexico has the one of largest military complexes in Latin America.

Military Parade in Mexico City

Many hotels have packages that include dinner, dance shows, drinks, party favors, and front row seats to either the local celebration or the national televised event. At midnight with their horns and whistles everyone puts their right hand across their chest, palm parallel to the ground and yells, Viva

Mexico!For more information about Miguel Hidalgo and

Mexico’s quest for independence go to history of San Miguel de Allende

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Fiesta of San Miguel Arcangel in San Miguel de Allende

September 29^th (or the weekend after, if the 29^th is a weekday) is the celebration of the patron Saint, of San Miguel de Allende, Saint Michael. He is honored with cockfights, bullfights and pamplonadas (bull-running) in the streets.

Pamplonadas or bull-running in San Miguel de Allende

However, the spotlight of the celebration is the traditional dancers from several of the surrounding states. Wearing bells, feather headdresses, scarlet cloaks and masks, they meet at Cruz del Cuarto, on the road to the train station. They then walk in procession to the Parroquia carrying flower offerings called xuchiles, some playing armadillo-shell lutes. The roots of these dances go back to pre-Hispanic times. Dances continue over the next few days and include the Danza Guerrero in front of the parroquia, which represents the Spanish conquest of the Chichimecs.

Traditional dancers San Miguel de Allende

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