Mexico: Events  

What is happening in Mexico:

Events at Specific Destinations

• Acapulco  
• Cancun
• Cozumel

Nationwide Overview of Events

The Mexican year is marked by a number of festive events from Carnival and other festive celebrations, which occur throughout the year. Semana Santa, which occurs the week before Easter and Christmas/New Year, are the peak domestic travel periods.

January

• New Year's Day - January 1 - National Holiday

February

• Constitution Day - February 5 - National Holiday
• Day of the Flag - February 24
• Carnival

Carnival is a joyous and usually drunken celebration held late in February or early March in the week before Ash Wednesday is the biggest bash, as in this Roman Catholic country, there is a forty day penance for the Lenten season. Lent is a time for fasting and paying penitence.

March

• Benito Juarez's Birthday - March 21 - National Holiday
• Easter Holidays - Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday (Easter Holiday occurs either late March or early April)

The Vernal Equinox occurs in late March as visitors come to the main temple at Chichen Itza to see the descent of the serpent Kukulkan. There is the theory that the Maya constructed the temple in a way that during equinox a beam of sunlight creates a shadow moving down towards earth resembling a snake. This occurrence is supposed to bring out a good harvest.

May

• Labour Day - May 1 - National Holiday
• Cinco de Mayo - May 5 - National Holiday

May 5 is the date that is celebrated from the victory that occurred in 1862.

September

• Independence Day - September 16 - National Holiday

Mexico celebrates its independence from Spain in 1821. These celebrations feature fireworks, folk dances, mariachi bands, speeches and a great del of decorations in Mexico's national colours, which are red, green and white.

October

• Dia de la Raza - October 12

November

• All Saints' Day - November 1
• Dia de Los Muertos - November 2
• Anniversary of the Mexican Revolution - November 20

The Day of the Dead is celebrated in early November, as it was believed that the spirits of the deceased returned to earth on this day. The deceased relatives and their friends are honoured in a party-like celebration, which includes them visiting gravesides to have picnics.

December

• Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe - December 12
• Dia de Navidad - December 25

Guadalupe is the patron saint of Mexico and as a result, December 12 is widely celebrated there. The Christmas Week celebrations include festivities that have the breaking of pinatas, candlelight processions, nightly posadas which are reenactments of the time Joseph and Mary were searching for lodging and a two day feast which commemorates the Virgen de la Soledad.