Candlemas DayMarking the end of the festive season, 40 days after
Christmas, Candlemas Day (Candelaria) is a citywide and nationwide
traditional celebration, partly religious and partly pre-Hispanic.
A chosen member of each family hosts a party, offering tasty
tamales and atole (a beverage made from corn). There are numerous
street parades with groups carrying representations of Baby Jesus
to church where special masses are held, markets and fiestas in the
streets and important bullfights at the Plaza de Toros
Monumental.Festival of MexicoThe 'Festival del Centro Historico' (Festival in the
Historic Centre) was inaugurated in 1985 as an exercise in aid of
rescuing and restoring the historic art and architecture of Mexico
City's degenerating town centre. The event has now earned a
reputation as one of the most vibrant celebrations of art and
culture in Latin America. During the two-week festival each year
more than 100 performances take place from opera and chamber music,
through jazz, folk and pop to theatre, and classical ballet. In
addition there are exhibitions, gourmet food, master classes and
workshops, conferences and lectures by renowned artists, authors
and poets.Xochimilco FestivalThe lakeland area of Xochimilco, just over 10 miles
(16km) south of Mexico City, with its canals, colourful barges and
floating gardens, provides a fitting setting for an annual festival
honouring the ancient Aztec goddess of flowers and the goddess of
dance. A lucky girl is chosen as 'La Flor Mas Bella del Ejido' (the
most beautiful flower of Ejido) and leads a floating parade of
flower-bedecked barges through the canals. The four-day festival
includes canoe races and horticulture contests, and takes place two
weeks before Easter every year.Independence DayMexicans celebrate the anniversary of their
independence from Spain with great gusto, particularly in Mexico
City where the day before the event the Zocalo fills with throngs
of people from early morning, awaiting the appearance of the
president on the balcony of the National Palace. At 11am the
president duly appears to shout 'the Cry', a re-enactment of the
1810 call to independence by Father Hidalgo. The emotional crowd
replies with 'Viva!' and the city erupts with excitement, abuzz
with street parties and fireworks. The following day a three-hour
military parade begins at the Zocalo and ends at the Angel monument
on the Paseo de la Reforma.Day of the DeadA Mexican tradition with Aztec roots is the honouring
of the departed with traditions that nowadays closely resemble
those of Halloween celebrated to the north. In Mexico City markets
and stores are liberally stocked with flowers, candy skulls, paper
skeletons and candles. Processions are made to cemeteries, where
vigils or even parties are held. Visitors to Mexico City who want
to make the most of the celebration head for Mixquic, a mountain
pueblo south of the city, which hosts an elaborate street fair and
solemn processions to the town cemetery.Cinco de MayoEvery Fifth of May (Cinco de Mayo) in the state of
Puebla, the famous Battle of Puebla is commemorated with
traditional music and dancing and general festivities. The Battle
saw a smaller Mexican army defeat a larger and more equipped French
army on 5 May 1862. Ironically the day is probably more celebrated
in the United States than it is in the rest of Mexico, in a similar
fashion to the celebrations of St. Patrick's Day.
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