Weekend after September 29 (October 3-5 for 2008) - The Feast of San Miguel Arcángel. This September event is San Miguel de Allende's very own party, the saint's day for our own patron saint. Unlike the grito, this feels like a big family party. It's for the locals. It doesn't draw flocks of tourists from far-flung places, but families come into town from the campo to enjoy the holiday. On the nearest Friday, everyone stays up all night for the Alborada, which roughly translates as something like "to attack the dawn." At 3 a.m. the larger-than-life puppets known as mojigangas arrive in the square. Around 4 a.m., another monumental fireworks display begins, featuring several castillos.
The famous Voladores de Papantla, the Papantla Flyers, set up their pole in the esplanade in front of the church and perform their gut-wrenching feat several times throughout the weekend. This involves five men climbing to the top of the pole. Four of them attach themselves to ropes while the fifth stands on a tiny (like 12" square tiny!) platform at the very top and plays a flute. The other four fall off the top and slowly spin on the ends of their ropes until they reach the ground. It is graceful and lovely to watch, and the voladores' performances are always among the most popular of all September events in San Miguel de Allende.
The weekend also features more conchero dancers, the Xúchiles—huge floral arrangements made of cactus fronds and marigolds mounted on bamboo frames—carried to the church and a pair of parades with dozens of floats.
It's the happiest party of the year.
Enjoy my photos of the wonderful activities around the Jardin finishing with the blessing of the horses!!!!!!
I say it many time the local people sure know how to celebrate!!!!
Yashi Kochi!!!!
2 comments:
Wow, what a riot! That would be a sight!
It was a wonderful day and today the celebrations continue cheers les
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