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Calendar

Most weekends in San Pancho feature a celebration at the Plaza del Sol (the main plaza across from the church). On any given weekend there might be a visiting carnival with rides for children, a local wedding feast, a musical performance, a dance for the teenagers, a civic meeting, or a show presented by the County Department of Education and Culture (April 2007, for example, featured "Jesus Christ—Superstar," with more than 50 actors and dancers).

Fiestas abound in Mexico. Every village (or city neighborhood) has a designated holy personage in whose honor fiestas patronales are held. In most cases, such festivities take the form a novenario, a nine-day celebration with characteristics unique to each locality. Many religious celebrations have roots in the pre-Hispanic era. Parades through town, fireworks, live music, rodeos, and fairs are typically part of the festivities. Children are usually prominently featured in any celebration.

The San Pancho novenario (nine-day festival) pays elaborate homage to Saint Francis of Assisi, the village’s patron saint, with parades and floats, fireworks, fairs, live music, and cultural performances. Each evening, a different neighborhood sponsors a candlelit blessing procession past each of their homes, accompanied by floats and people dressed as religious figures (including, of course, a barefoot Saint Francis of Assisi healing the sick). This neighborhood promenade ends at the church, where the participants enter to receive a special blessing from the priest. This is an extended service with a wide variety of music, including chorales, spiritually evocative guitars, contemporary Christian music, and full-on Mexican brass bands.

Meanwhile, people from the other neighborhoods wait outside the church at the town Plaza del Sol, eating, socializing, and watching their children play on the carnival rides. The service ends to loud explosions of fireworks, followed by traditional entertainment, costumes, music, and dance at the soundstage—which is decorated with a large image of Saint Francis riding to heaven on a flower. A high-energy dance follows the show. This happens every night for nine nights.

Most civic holidays reflect modern historical events. Government offices, banks, schools, and some businesses close across the nation for major national holidays. This may also occur during important religious celebrations in individual localities. Market places, supermarkets, and small family-operated grocery stores generally stay open for business on holidays.

The calendar contains a list of the primary annual fiestas in San Pancho. It is not comprehensive. New reasons to celebrate come up all the time and, more often than not, each week features some kind of public event or celebration. July and August are an exception, as most Mexican families take an extended vacation during these months.

Your Comments are Welcome

With so many community celebrations and fiestas, we have inevitably missed something important. If you find we have missed a local or regional event that you enjoy, please e-mail us with your comments.

January

1	Año Nuevo	New Year’s Day holiday.
6	Dia de los Santos Reyes Day of the Holy Kings (Three Wise Men)	Celebration of the arrival of the Three Wise Men who brought gifts for baby Jesus. Traditionally, kids receive toys and people buy a pastry called La Rosca de Reyes. If you bite into the bread and find a little figure of Baby Jesus, you must host a party for the Day of Candelaria (February 2nd). It is not an official holiday.

February

2	Día de la Candelaria Candlemas	A religious holiday that is celebrated with processions, dancing, bullfights in certain cities, and the blessing of the seeds and candles.
1st Monday	Día de la Constitución Constitution Day	Celebration of the ratification of the Constitution of 1917, which was adopted after the Mexican Revolution.
14	Día de San Valentín Valentine’s Day	On this day, men give chocolates, flowers, jewelry, dinner and serenade their special women and female friends. It is not an official holiday.
1/31-2/05/08 2/19-2/24/09 2/11-2/16/10	Carnaval Mardi Gras	An official Mexican holiday that kicks off a five-day celebration of the libido before the Catholic lent. Beginning the weekend before Lent, Carnaval is celebrated exuberantly with parades, floats, and dancing in the streets.
24	Día de la Bandera Flag Day	Celebration of the adoption of the Mexican green, white, and red flag with the coat of arms of a golden eagle fighting against a serpent on top of a cactus. Implemented by President Lázaro Cárdenas in 1937. Also Sayulita’s holiday, celebrated with rodeos, fairs, and live music.
Last Weekend	Festival de Música San Pancho Music Festival	Featuring over 100 local and visiting performers, this free multi-cultural musical show is held in the Jardin de Grillo of Casa Puerco at 9 Calle Africa.

March

8	San Juan de Dios St John of God Day	A religious holiday best experienced in San Juan, Nayarit.
3rd Monday	Natalicio de Benito Juárez Benito Juárez’s Birthday	Birthday of Benito Juárez, 19th century Mexican President, statesman and national hero who stood against French intervention. He was born 3/21/1806; however, his birthday is officially observed on the third Monday.
18	Expropiación Petrolera Oil Expropriation Day	President Lázaro Cárdenas expropriated foreign-held oil wells to facilitate Mexico's industrial development in 1938. It is not an official holiday (honored primarily in schools).
19	Día de San José St Joseph’s Day	A religious holiday best experienced in San Jose del Valle, Nayarit.
21	Dia de la Primavera Spring Equinox	A parade that celebrates the arrival of Spring. Children dress like flowers, animals, mythological characters and heroes. Children who collect the most donations for school ride on the floats.
	Semana Santa Domingo de Ramos Holy Week Resurrection Week	The two holy weeks that ends the 40-day Lent period. This includes Good Friday and Easter Sunday pageants. It is Mexican custom to break confetti-filled eggs over the heads of friends and family. This is prime vacation time, so it is a good time to stay off the highways.

April

19	Earth Day	In celebration of Earth Day, EntreAmigos and Groupo Ecologico typically organize a major cleanup day for the river, estuary, streets, empty lots and beach. Afterwards, there are refreshments, raffles and activities for the children to celebrate and to learn more about Earth Day.
30	Día del Niño Children’s Day	This day is a national celebration of Mexico's love of children and family, where children are honored with pageants, candy and parades. It is not an official holiday; however, it is a major event that is highly anticipated by all. Children leave their uniforms at home and are free to wear their favorite clothes or costumes. The government organizes special events as an incentive for children with good grades. The teachers and town give the kids a big public party with piñatas. Children visit their grandparents and traditionally receive small gifts such as clay whistles in the shape of animals and other figures, or even the child’s patron saint, made of colorful tin or straw. Go to pvmirror.com for more information

May

1	Día del Trabajo Labor Day	The Mexican Labor holiday. Government offices, banks and schools are closed. Image of Mex4you.net
3	Día de la Santa Cruz Holy Cross Day	Construction workers decorate and mount crosses on unfinished buildings, followed by fireworks and picnics at the construction site.
5	Cinco de Mayo Batalla de Puebla	Celebration of a major victory against occupying French forces at the city of Puebla in 1862. Government offices, banks, and schools are closed.
10	Día de la Madre Mother's Day	Mexicans honor mothers. It is not an official holiday.
15	Día del Maestro Teacher's Day	Mexicans honor teachers. It is not an official holiday. Schools are closed.

June

1	Día del Armada Navy Day	An official Mexican holiday.
3rd Sunday	Día del Padre Father’s Day	Mexicans honor fathers. It is not an official holiday.
24	San Juan Bautista St John the Baptist	Celebrated with religious festivities and fairs.

September

13	Aniversario de la Muerte de los Niños Heroes Young Heroes of Chapultepec	Honors six teenage cadets who threw themselves to their deaths from the heights of Chapultepec Castle in 1847 rather than surrender to US Marines who were about to take Mexico City during the Mexican-American War (honored primarily in schools). Image under Creative Commons License
14	Día del Charro Horseman’s Day	Riders parade on horseback wearing traditional outfits.
16	Grito de Dolores (Conmem- oración del Grito de la Indepen- dencia) Cry of Sorrows (Celebration of the Independence Cry of Hidalgo)	Celebration of the day in 1810 that the priest, Miguel Hidalgo y Costillo, delivered El Grito de Dolores, announcing the Mexican revolt against Spanish rule. The President of Mexico rings Hidalgo’s bell (now at the National Palace in Mexico City) and repeats Hidalgo’s words at 11:00 PM. Government offices, banks and schools are closed. Image of Mex4you.net
9/26 to 10/4	San Francisco de Asís Saint Francis of Assissi	The San Pancho novenario (nine-day festival) celebrates Saint Francis of Assisi, the village’s patron saint, with processions, fireworks, fairs, live music, and cultural performances. See the Calendar introduction for details.

October

12	Día de la Raza Day of the Race	The “race” refers to the people of Latin America and their multi-cultural heritage. Although this day ostensibly commemorates the discovery of America in 1492, it has become a celebration of the enormous cultural diversity in which Mexicans take pride. It is not an official holiday.
31	Halloween	Children go trick or treating to the businesses on Av del Tercer Mundo (the main street in San Pancho).

November

1	Todos los Santos (Día de los Angelitos) All Saints’ Day (Day of the Angels)	An important Mexican holiday that merges Aztec worship of the dead and the Catholic All Saints’ Day. On this day, candles are lit for the angels (children who have died).
2	Día de los Fieles Difuntos (Día de los Muertos) All Souls’ Day (Day of the Dead)	Mexicans honor their dead relatives and/or friends (who were more than 18 years of age and married) with candles, food and flower offerings, altars, and pre-Hispanic and Christian rituals. It is not an official holiday. For more information go to www.mexconnect.com and www.mexonline.com
12	Día del Cartero Mailman’s Day	Post offices are closed.
3rd Monday	Día de la Revolución Mexicana Mexican Revolution Day	Celebration of the beginning of the Mexican Revolution in 1910, which ended with government and agrarian reform and the establishment of the Constitution in 1917. Government offices, banks, and schools are closed.

December

12	Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe	Celebration of the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico’s patron saint, to the native Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (Talking Eagle). Our Lady of Guadalupe contains elements of both the Virgin Mary and the indigenous Mexican lunar goddess, Tonantzin. It is not an official holiday. The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is built on top of Tepeyac hill, north of Mexico City. This was formerly the site of a Tonantzin pyramid.
16-24	Posadas Navideñas	Celebration of Joseph and Mary’s search for shelter in Bethlehem with candlelight processions that end at various nativity scenes.
24	Nochebuena Christmas Eve	Celebration of the eve of the nativity of Jesus and the Holy Family’s search for shelter in Bethlehem, as a secular winter holiday. The traditional treats for this holiday are tamales and atole (a cinnamon and vanilla cornbased beverage) or champurrado (with chocolate). Also includes piñata parties for kids and dance music for the adults.
25	Navidad	Celebration of the nativity of Jesus, also celebrated as a secular winter holiday.
28	Dia de los Inocentes Day of the Innocents	The day that people pull practical jokes on each other (similar to April Fools Day). People must not believe anything that other people say, nor let them borrow any amount of money. If any person has fallen victim to a joke, the person pulling the joke will say ¡Inocente palomita...!
28-30	Colectivo San Pancho Art and Culture Festival	To learn more go to www.pvmirror.com
31	Festejos de Fin de Año New Year’s Eve	Celebration in the public plaza, followed by traditional midnight suppers and masses.