Because
Guanajuato is a university town, there are hosts of cultural activities throughout the year. Fine art films, art exhibitions, dance performances, plays, and performances by the University Symphonic Orchestra are just some of the activities you can enjoy. Each February, the restaurant association of Guanajuato hosts a Paella Festival, complete with Spanish music, flamenco dancers, and at least 10 kinds of paella. In March 2005, Guanajuato hosted Latin America's first Medieval Festival. It was a success and officials plan to make it an annual event.
The largest cultural event is the International Cervantino Festival, held for 3 weeks each October. This is a festival that celebrates the arts. Each year, the festival features one of Mexico's 31 states as well as 1 or 2 foreign countries. Artists, musicians, artisans, and dancers come to Guanajuato to display their skills.
The festival began in the 1950s with university students performing short dramas in Spanish in honor of Miguel de Cervantes y Saavedra, author of Don Quixote. The students performed these dramas in a plaza called, "Plaza de San Roque". The plaza, complete with bleachers and lighting, is still the site of many performances during the festival.
In 1972, the festival became an annual event. Since then, the number of participants and spectators has grown with each passing year. In 2004, the city reported that around 2500 artists performed for over 47,000 spectators in over 100 events.During the festival, the event locations are filled to overflowing. Some events are free, so you need to stake out a seat a couple of hours or so in advance. For other events, you need to buy tickets that cost between 15 and 350 pesos each. Tickets sell out months in advance, so you will probably want to check with Ticketmaster (Mexico) beginning in July. A note of advice here: not only do the tickets sell out early, the hotels also are booked well in advance.
The festival has fallen out of favor with many of the locals in recent years. They call it a celebration of the art of drunkenness instead of a celebration of the arts. Unfortunately, though most of the spectators come to Guanajuato to experience the music, dance, plays, and arts; many come to engage in a three-week drinking session (among other activities.) These people do not share the conservative public behavior ethic the locals uphold. They engage in public drunkenness, rude behavior, fighting, doing, and selling drugs as well as other activities that are against the law. The police make many arrests during this festival, but it seems the same groups of nefarious individuals show up year after year. Some locals leave town during the festival to avoid the craziness that accompanies it.
During our first Cervantino festival, we discovered that hippies are alive and well. They poured into Guanajuato in their freaky, filthy clothes, their wild hair, and their questionable ethical behavior. They slept in the parks and on the streets, used the streets and sidewalks as bathrooms, smelled as if they had never used a bar of soap, and were outrageously loud. The police made many arrests for improper public behavior.
Post-Cervantino, the city falls back into its traditional routines. I can just see the merchants counting their Cervantino loot and the locals mopping their brows and breathing a sigh of relief that the wild party is over for another year.
Guanajuato Events
Festival Cervantino: This big international art festival is held in October and attracts visitors from all over the world. The festival is named in honor of Miguel de Cervantes, who wrote "Don Quixote". His plays are performed by college students on a small, picturesque plaza.
Hot Air Balloon Festival : Held in November.
Alfenique Fair: This is held in the last part of October through November 2nd in San Fernando Square. It is part of the traditional Dia de las Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration. Vendors sell almond candies in various shapes and traditional sugar skulls.
The Festival de la Presa : This celebration commemorates the start of the rainy season, which officially begins on June 24th.
Guanajuato Religious Festivals
Dolores Friday: This festival is held the week before Good Friday and celebrates the Virgin of Dolores, who is the miners' patroness. The day is celebrated with altars, flowers and a festival in Jardin de la Union. The night before the festival ends miners and others hold the Flowers' Ball.
Holy Week: Celebrations on this week include special services at churches, various cultural activities in the plazas and the University Book Fair, which is held in Plaza San Fernando.
Our Lady of Guanajuato Festival: May 22nd to 31st: This festival is celebrated with a pilgrimage, fireworks and ancient folk dances performed in Plaza de la Paz.
Saint John & Presa de la Olla Festival: June 24th.
De la Olla Reservoir's Opening: First Monday of July The opening of the reservoir's gates is celebrated with swimming and diving competitions.
San Ignacio de Loyola's Day: July 31st. This festival started as a commemoration of the city's patron saint and is also known as Cave Day. People visit the caves in the mountain west of La Bufa and enjoy a day in the country.
The Alhóndiga Battle: Sept 28th The neighborhood of Santa Rosa re-enacts this famous battle.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Pilgrimage: Dec 12th. People visit the Lady of Guadalupe sanctuary to sing and to leave flowers.
Christmas period Last days of December: Christmas in Guanajuato is an unforgettable experience. Most families build a Nacimiento, or nativity scene and there are signs of celebration throughout the town.
