Here's a sample of festivals, holidays and special events.You may want to plan your vacation around events that interest you.
| January |
January 1: New Year's Day
January through March is for whale watching - Humpback whales return to Banderas Bay.
January 6: Day of the Kings (Dia de los Reyes). Traditional Mexican gift giving day for children, in honor of the Three Kings' visit to the baby Jesus. Mexican celebration honoring the Three Kings' visit to the baby Jesus. Traditionally a gift-giving day when children receive toys and gifts.
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| February |
February 5: Constitution Day: Official speeches and ceremonies are conducted nationwide on this national holiday.
February 14: Friendship Day (Dia de Amistad). Love and friendship is celebrated this day.
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| March |
March 21: Benito Juarez's Birthday: Mexico observes a national holiday to honor one of the country's most revered presidents and leader of the 19th-century Reform movement.
March through April: Semana Santa - Holy Week The biggest holiday of the year in Mexico, the celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ begins Palm Sunday and culminates on Easter Sunday.
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| April |
April 30: Children's Day
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| May |
May: Fiestas de Mayo: Fiestas de Mayo: During the entire month of May, the residents honor their city with the Festivals of May, which include parades in the downtown area, bullfights, soccer games, dancing, street music, and a gala featuring amusement park rides, children's performances, exhibits, and foods.
May 1st: Labor Day.
May 5th: Cindo de Mayo. French defeated at Pueblo in 1862.
May 10th: Mother's Day.
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| September |
September 16: Mexican Independence Day (1810) National holiday.
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| October |
October 31: Halloween Currently emerging as a holiday in Mexico.
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| November |
November 1: Dia de Todos Santos, Dia de Muertos - All Saints Day. Homage is paid to the souls of departed children. It is said that the dead descend from the heavens on this day, so families leave candied skulls, skeletons and the deceased's favorite food and drink on special altars.
November 2: Day of the Dead: On this day the departed adults return from heaven. The families of the deceased hold graveside vigils during the night. Favorite food and drink, especially tequila is left on the tomb or on a specially constructed altar in their home. Sweets in the shapes of death symbols are found in bakeries and kitchens across the country. Cemeteries are decorated with marigolds, the Aztec sacred flower of death.
November 5 - 28: Fine Arts Festival! Music, dancing, poetry and ballets.
November 20: Anniversary of Mexican Revolution. Parades celebrate the anniversary of the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1917.
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| December |
December 1-12: Perigrinations for the Virgin of Guadalupe Numerous processions take place to the Church of our Lady of Guadalupe. Businesses, hotels, restaurants, neighborhood and civic associations make up the processions that include floats, singing, fireworks and dancing. Traffic is rerouted around downtown, so avoid El Centro buses.
December 12: Anniversary of the Founding of Puerto Vallarta and Virgin of Guadalupe's Day Puerto Vallarta was founded by Don Guadalupe Sanchez Torres on this day in 1851, and it is the day to celebrate the honored Virgin Guadalupe on the anniversary of her miraculous appearance to a peasant in Mexico. Processions culminate with the central plaza filling with people celebrating this traditional Mexican holiday.
December 16 - 24: Posadas Celebrated during Christmas week, Mexican families, businesses and neighborhoods throw Christmas parties called Posadas. A traditional posada is a re-enactment of Joseph and Mary's search for lodging (a posada) in Bethlehem. Guests carrying candles arrive in a procession to a designated house asking for lodging in song. The host is to refuse several times before the request is granted and the party starts.
December 25: Christmas Day (Navidad).
December 31: New Year's Eve Often celebrated with a big dinner and the traditional 12 grapes and and their corresponding hopes for the coming year.
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