Mexico's Festivities
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
1: Año Nuevo (New Year's Day): major celebrations throughout the country; agricultural and livestock fairs are held in the provinces.
6: Los Santos Reyes (Epiphany-Three Kings Day - Día de Reyes): traditional Catholic holiday and time of gift giving to children. At many parties a ring-shaped cake with a miniature doll is baked and served; the one getting a slice with the doll must throw another party on February 2, Candlemas Day.
17: San Antonio Abad - Blessing of the Animals: domesticated animals honored throughout Mexico. Pets and livestock are adorned and blessed in local churches.
18: Santa Prisca, Patron Saint of Taxco, Gro.
20: San Sebastian
2: Día de la Candelaria (Candlemas): fiestas, parades, bullfights and lantern-decorated streets.
3-8: Pre-lenten Carnival celebrations: music, dancing, and parades in many seaside towns; Veracruz and Mazatlan have the biggest bashes.
5: Aniversario de la Constitución (Constitution Day): commemorates the Constitutions of 1857 and 1917, by which Mexico is now governed.
14: Día de la Amistad/San Valentín (Valentine's Day)
24: Día de la Bandera (Flag Day)
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7: Martes de Carnaval at Cozumel (Shrove Tuesday)
8: Miércoles de Ceniza (Ash Wednesday)
8: San Juan de Dios
17: San Patricio, Patron Saint of San Patricio Melaque, Jal.
18: Expropiación Petrolera (Anniversary of the nationalization of the petroleum industry)
19: Día de San José (St. Joseph's Day)
21: Natalicio de Benito Juárez (Juarez' Birth): Mexico's most revered political figure and former president is saluted throughout Mexico, particularly in his home state of Oaxaca.
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4: Cambio de Horario (Daylight Savings begins)
16: Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday)
Holy Week (Semana Santa): begins on Palm Sunday and is Mexico's biggest holiday. Though every area will celebrate, specially impressive are: Mexico City's Passion Play in Ixtapalapa; the Procession of Silence in San Luis Potosi and San Miguel de Allende; Taxco's candlelight processions; and those in Atlixco, Catemaco, Cusarare, San Ignacio Arareco, Jerez, Huajicori, Mesa del Nayar, Ocoyoacac, Patzcuaro, Purisima de Bustos, Queretaro, San Pedrito, Santa Teresa, Temascaldingo, Tzintzuntzan, and Zinacantan.
20: Jueves Santo (Maundy Thursday)
21: Viernes Santo (Good Friday)
23: Domingo de Gloria/Pascua (Easter Sunday)
25: San Marcos, Patron Saint of Aguascalientes, Ags.
30: Día del Niño (Children's Day)
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1: Día del Trabajo (Labor Day): a legal holiday, featuring parades in many cities, mostly everything is closed.
3: Día de la Santa Cruz (Holy Cross Day): a holyday of all construction workers, across the country you can see unfinished buildings supporting decorated crosses placed by workers, followed by picnics and fireworks.
5: Batalla de Puebla (Battle of Puebla): commemorates a great Mexican military defeat of the French army in the Battle of Puebla in 1862.
10: Día de las Madres (Mothers Day) - fixed date
13:Domingo de Asención (Ascension Sunday)
15: San Isidro Labrador : the patron saint of rain, agricultural workers and livestock is celebrated.
23: Domingo de Pentecostés (Pentecost)
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3: Domingo de Corpus (Corpus Christi)
13: San Antonio de Padua
20: Día del Padre (Father's Day)
24: San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist) ): celebrated with popular fairs, religious festivities and practical jokes associated with dunking.
27: Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro
29: San Pedro y San Pablo
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2: Día de Cuauhtemoc (Cuauhtemoc Day): dances and ceremonies at Cuauhtemoc Circle in Mexico City honor the last Aztec emperor.
15: La Asunción de la Virgen María
28: San Agustín, Patron Saint of Puebla, Pue.
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1: Día del Informe Presidencial (State of the Union Day)
15: Conmemoración del Grito de la Independencia: "El Grito," a re-enactment of Father Hidalgo's call for his countrymen to join the uprising, is performed at 11:00 p.m., the night of the 15th, in most town squares. The President presides the ceremony at Mexico City's Constitution Square.
16: Día de la Independencia (Independence Day): nationwide celebrations of Mexico's independence declaration from Spain in 1810. The whole country is basically closed for these two days.
18: International Cleanup Day
24: Nuestra Señora de la Merced
29: San Miguel Archangel, Patron Saint of San Miguel Allende, Gto.
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1 - 31 Fiestas de Octubre (October Festivals): Major fair in Guadalajara with many shows, races and other events in the arts and sports.
4: San Francisco de Asís, Patron Saint of Chapala, Jal.
7: Nuestra Señora del Rosario
12: Día de la Raza (Columbus Day): celebrations marking the fusion of Mexico's native and European races.
Romería de la Virgen de Zapopan, Guadalajara-Zapopan
31: Cambio de Horario (Daylight Savings ends)
October - November Festival Cervantino (Cervantes Festival in Guanajuato): street minstrels, classical music, theater and recitals honoring the Spanish author.
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1:Todos
los Santos (All Saints Day): perhaps Mexico's most peculiar holiday,
this day marks Mexico's unique Native American-Christian tribute to death.
Celebrations include sugar skulls and skeletons, toy coffins, processions
to graveyards, and elaborately decorated altars and tombstones. The holiday
is used to recall fond memories of the dearly departed.
2: Día de los Fieles Difuntos (Day of the Dead-All Souls Day)
12: Día del Cartero (Mailman's Day): post offices are closed.
20: Aniversario de la Revolución Mexicana (Revolution Day): celebration of the beginning of Mexico's ten year civil war(1910-20) a conflict in which millions of Mexicans lost their lives.
22: Santa Cecilia, Patron Saint of Musicians
30: San Andrés, Patron Saint of Ajijic, Jal.
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6: San Nicolás
8: La Inmaculada Concepción de la Virgen María
12: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe): the patroness of Mexico is honored in this, Mexico's most religious holiday. Pilgrims converge from around the country at the Basilica de Guadalupe in Mexico City, home of a revered shroud which displays a mysterious imprint of the Virgin's image.
16-24: Posadas Navideñas (Christmas festivities): processions and parties reenacting Joseph and Mary's journey to Bethlehem; lots of music and piñata-breaking.
24: Noche Buena (Christmas Eve)
25: Navidad (Christmas Day): a special family celebration, usually spent at home.
28: Día de los Santos Inocentes
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