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+ mexico

PRINCIPAIS DATAS E EVENTOS DO MÉXICO
MAIN MEXICO EVENTS & DATES

DATAS | DATES

+ Feriados | + Holidays

January 1st Año Nuevo - New Year's Day
February 5th Dia de la Constitucion - Constitution Day
February 24th Dia de la Bandera - Mexico's National Flag Day
May 1st Dia del Trabajo - Labour Day
May 5th Cinco de Mayo - Victory over France in Puebla
September 16th Dia de la Independencia - Celebrating Independence (from Spain) Day
October 12th Dia de La Raza - Columbus discovers the new world
November 20th Dia de la Revolucion - Anniversary of the 1910 Mexican Revolution
December 25th Dia de Navidad - Christmas Day (Christmas dinner / presents traditionally happen on the evening of the 24th - Christmas Eve)

EVENTOS | EVENTS

+ Principais Eventos | + Main Events

January
New Year's Day - January 1st. A national holiday, and a day of celebrations, parties and festivals. Check locally to see what specific activities are planned. Many people also use this day to sleep off the partying from the night before!

Dia de los Reyes Magos (Epiphany) - January 6th. This is the day that gifts are traditionally exchanged as it represents the day that the Three Kings arrived at the Nativity to give their gifts to the baby Jesus. This is also a day when Rosca de los Reyes (King's Loaf) is served, a round, doughnut-like cake, which contains a little plastic doll somewhere inside. By tradition, if you are served the slice that contains the doll, you must host a party on Dia de la Candelaria in February.

February
Dia de la Candelaria - (Candlemass) February 2nd. This day is celebrated nationally with dance, food and music as well as other local festivities to mark the passing of winter. Those who were served the plastic doll in their Three Kings Loaf (see January events, above) will host a party on this day serving Tamales – corn corn paste served inside corn leaves flavored with savory or sweet fillings – very tasty!

Dia de la Constitucion - February 5th. Constitution Day. Marks the day Mexico drew up and enacted its new Constitution as a free nation. Public and Bank holiday.

Carnaval - Late Feb/Early March - This festival is the big party which takes place 46 days before Easter Sunday, (3rd day preceding Ash Wednesday) and is marked with parades, dancing, processions, food, fireworks, music and a general 'good time'! This festival is especially big in Veracruz, La Paz, Mazatlan and Cozumel - places you can discover with Mexperience!

March
Benito Juarez' Birthday - March 21. Birth date of one of Mexico's most famous and revered heroes - Benito Juarez. The day is marked with a Public Holiday. Parties, dancing, music, Mexican food and good times are practiced nationwide, but especially in Oaxaca - where Juarez was born. You can discover Oaxaca with Mexperience.

Holy Week - From Ash Wednesday (beginning of Lent) through to the week after Easter Sunday is the busiest time at all of Mexico's key attractions. Everywhere you go there will be processions, festivals, parties, fireworks and more! Many Mexicans take their holiday during this period, so in smaller towns and cities, you can expect more businesses (shops, nightclubs, etc) to be closed. Hotels, restaurants and other core tourist services will operate as normal. If you want to travel to Mexico during the Easter Period - BOOK EARLY.

Spring Equinox - March 21st. The first day of spring; many archaeological structures (especially those closely lined with astronomical events) are popular on the 20th - 22nd of March, as the sun's light matches up with features on the structures left behind by the ancient civilizations. The most famous is Chichen-Itza, where a shadow of the plumed serpent moves up the main temple. You can discover this and many other Archaeological Centers in Mexico with Mexperience

April
Local: Cuernavaca Flower Fair - April. Cuernavaca is one of Mexico's most popular Colonial Gems. You can discover Cuernavaca with Mexperience.

Feria de San Marcos (St Mark’s Fair), Aguascalientes. Over a million people descend upon the colonial city of Aguascalientes during April and May for the Feria de San Marcos, Mexico’s largest. Exact dates vary each year although the fair starts around the second or third week of April and runs through to early or mid May. Festival seekers come to see the bull-fights, concerts, fun-fair, rodeos, art displays, music, dance and other cultural events; and to gamble at the fair's temporary casino. Gambling is currently illegal throughout Mexico, but the Feria de San Marcos operates a 'specially licensed' casino. Traditional Mexican and regional food and drink is available everywhere, and parties go on throughout the night! Local: San Marcos Fair, Aguascalientes - This is Mexico's largest fair and people from all over Mexico travel there to experience it. Discover , and its famous Feria de San Marcos, with Mexperience.

April 30th - Children's Day in Mexico. Not a holiday, but it is traditional to give children small presents on this day.

May
Dia del Trabajo (Labor Day) - May 1st. A National Holiday. Businesses and Offices close, nationwide. The principal trade Unions march on Mexico City's main square (the Zocalo).

Cinco de Mayo - May 5th. A holiday celebrated in the colonial city of Puebla commemorating the Mexican defeat of the French at the Battle of Puebla.

Mother's Day in Mexico - May 10th. Although this is not a holiday, many local people take a half day off when they can to take their mother out and celebrate this event.

Cancun Jazz Festival - Exact dates vary, but if you're a Jazz fan, Cancun is THE place to be in Mexico during the month of May. Discover more about Cancun and its Jazz Festival with Mexperience.

June
Corpus Christi - Exact Dates Vary. Celebrated nationally, this event honors the body of Christ, and is marked with processions, celebrations, music food and dancing. If you are near the Archaeological site of El Tajin, you'll have a chance to see the famous Voladores de Papantla, or flying dancers, perform. In Mexico City, celebrations centre around the Zocalo, Cathedral and National Palace.

Dia de la Marina (Navy Day) - June 1st. If you find yourself near a costal town or city on June 1st, you are likely to see parties and firework displays celebrating Navy Day in Mexico. You can discover all of Mexico's main Beach Destinations with Mexperience.

July
Local: Guelaguetza Dance Festival, Oaxaca, Mid July. One of two big festivals in Oaxaca, this dance festival features local costume, music, dance and food. If you are planning a trip to Oaxaca at this time, book early as the festival is experienced by many Mexicans and people world-wide, who descend upon Oaxaca in July. You can discover the fabulous city of Oaxaca with Mexperience.

August
Dia de la Asuncion de la Virgen Guadalupe (Ascension Day) 15th August - Celebrated nationally, this is one of Mexico's most important religious events. The Virgin Guadalupe is extremely important and revered by Mexican Catholics - her image, almost without exception next to a crucifix, is everywhere in Mexico. Special masses and processions take place nationwide, with a huge mass at the Basilica de Guadalupe (where the original image is hosted) in Mexico City. December 12, 1531 was the day the Virgin appeared to Juan Diego - a Mexican Indian. The original shrine (Basilica) was finished in 1709 but became dangerous when it started sinking on it foundations. A new round shrine was built from 1974-76 and the image of the Virgin can be seen from anywhere in the church. In the colonial city of Aguascalientes, a monument in honour of the Virgin Guadalupe is decorated and the city hosts a special Mass and processions take place downtown in which all of the city's churches are represented.

Dia de la Asuncion de la Virgen Maria (Ascension Day) 15th/16th and 20th - 22nd of August - Celebrated nationally, but especially big in Huamantla, near Puebla, south of Mexico City. Special masses and processions take place. If you want to experience the events at Huamantla, its best to stay in Puebla and commute to the events there. You can discover Puebla with Mexperience.

Local: San Miguel de Allende - International Chamber Music Festival, August 1st - 15th. San Miguel is famous for non-stop festivals and parties all year-round and this is one of its most famous, and most widely attended. The festival lasts for a fortnight - book early as the hotels fill up at this time. You can discover San Miguel de Allende with Mexperience.

September
Dia de la Independencia (Independence Day) - September 16th. Indisputably Mexico's most important and most revered National Holiday is Independence Day - Dia de la Patria. During this time, Fiestas Patrias take place nationwide. From the evening of September 15th, parties begin. At 11pm, the President of the Republic shouts the Cry (El Grito) of "Viva Mexico" from the balcony of the National Palace - an event televised and broadcast on radio to every corner of the nation, as Mexicans cry back with "Viva!" in an emotion-packed traditional annual ritual. The Zocalo in Mexico City brims and buzzes with unabated excitement. Celebrations are particularly lively at the revolutionary Colonial centers, especially Queretaro and San Miguel de Allende - important and significant places before, during and after the war of Independence from Spain. This is a great time to be in Mexico if you like celebrations, parties and a buzzing atmosphere!

Autumn Equinox - September 21st - Marking the first day of the Autumn; many archaeological structures (especially those closely lined with astronomical events) are popular on the 21st and 22nd of September, as the sun's light matches up with features on the structures left behind by the ancient civilizations. The most famous is Chichen-Itza, where a shadow of the plumed serpent moves up the main temple. You can discover Chichen-Itza and many other Archaeology Parks in Mexico with Mexperience.

October
Dia de la Raza (Columbus Day) - October 12th. The day that commemorates Columbus' founding of the "new world", an event that subsequently sparked the journeys of hundreds of European explorers traveling west to discover that you really don't fall off the edge, and to inhabit the lands we now call The Americas. This used to be a public holiday.

Festival Cervantino (Cervantino Festival), Throughout first half of October, Guanajuato (exact dates vary year-to-year). Mexico’s October Events Calendar is always dominated by one major event: The Festival Cervantino in the colonial city of Guanajuato. Although the festival is hosted in one of Mexico’s smaller colonial cities, its international fame and reach are indisputable. If you are visiting Mexico in October and can get to Guanajuato (Book your Accommodation NOW!) you’ll be treated to a feast of dance, music, art and entertainment performed by internationally acclaimed acts from as far away as Indian and China.

Fiestas de Octubre (October Parties) - Guadalajara - All Month. Guadalajara is birthplace of the Mariachi, the famous Mexican musical performers, synonymous with Mexico. During October Mariachis celebrate their art in the city where they began. Musicians from all over Mexico gather here during October - if you like Mariachi music, get to Guadalajara in October! You can discover the fabulous city of Guadalajara with Mexperience!

November
Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) - November 1st and 2nd. This event encompasses 2 days: All Saint's Day, and All Souls day. The former honors all saints and people who died as children and the latter honor the souls of those who died in adulthood. If you are in Mexico around this time, expect to see sugar-candy skulls, skeletons and Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead) advertised at shops and supermarkets - they are a traditional sight in Mexico at this time of year. Relatives of those who died gather at cemeteries throughout Mexico, bringing bread, fruit and their decorated sugar skulls, along with candles and the favorite food of the people they are remembering to celebrate the lives of those passed on, and remember their loved loves. The mood is far from morbid: it is lively, upbeat - almost like an Irish wake - and is intended to be a celebration of life, not a morbid occasion!

Dia de la Revolucion (Day of the Revolution) - November 20th. A major national holiday, which commemorates the end of the revolution in 1910. The day is marked with some Fiestas Patrias (festive parties - but nowhere near as loud or prominent as Independence Day celebrations in September), a big parade in Mexico City's Zocalo, speeches and a few official ceremonies.

Local: Fiestas de Mar, Puerto Vallarta - November 10th to end of November. (Parties of the Sea) - This is Puerto Vallarta's biggest party event on the annual calendar and includes a sailing regatta and the Governor's Golf Tournament. You can Discover Puerto Vallarta and its November Parties with Mexperience.

December
12 December - Dia de Guadalupe - Not a public holiday, but probably Mexico's biggest religious event of the year. The day is marked by Mass and celebrations in honor of Guadalupe, Mexico's Patron Saint.

Posadas de Navidad - Nine days leading up to Christmas Day. Posadas are parties that take place throughout the nine days before Christmas Day. Posadas re-enact Mary & Joseph's search for an inn, with local communities arranging for one of the local houses to be the inn that accepts - while local children travel from door-to-door in traditional costume, holding candles and singing a traditional carol, requesting a place to stay. Eventually they get to the arranged house, and a party ensues therein.

Christmas in Mexico - The Christmas period starts around the 12th and continues right through until early in the New Year on January 6th - Kings Day. Hotels, resorts, and key attractions become totally booked up (so do busses, flights and trains). Parties, celebrations and processions evident everywhere you go. Mexicans love to party and Christmas is a big event here. If you want to spend a Christmas at one of Mexico's tourist areas - Reserve well in advance.

New Year's Eve - Dec 31st Mexico City's Zocalo square (second largest square in the world after Red Square in Moscow) becomes as lively at it gets on Independence day. Don't wear your good clothes - it is traditional to fill empty egg shells with confetti and colorful liquids that will stain your clothes and may not come out. The liquid is usually a variety of food coloring. Parties are vibrant and go on forever. The mood is of celebration and hope for the new year ahead. Colonial Centers are particularly atmospheric at this time and are great places to go if you're looking for an alternative to the normal big town / big city new year's scene.