Comictlan, held Saturday and Sunday, August 2 and 3 at Expo Guadalajara, is celebrating 18 years as Mexico’s top entertainment and comic convention. It is a fiesta for fans and artists involved in comics, video games, anime, animation, vintage dress, toys, collectables and accessories, fantasy, Asian music, science fiction, film dubbing, writing, singing and much more.
Billed as a perfect balance between the cultural and commercial and the largest festival of imagination in the country, Comictlan is a sight for the eyes, with hundreds of kids, teens and adults decked out in their favorite animated character’s costumes. Tiny tots attend hand in hand with their parents or grandparents, who bring out their own inner child while looking for that special something from a series or comic they were fans of decades ago.
Comictlan began as a search for a special edition of the Spiderman comic series in 1996 by a local rocker. Planned for about 250 attendees, some 5,000 fans showed up to the first edition ... and the rest is history. Comictlan opens at 10:30 a.m. and runs through early evening. Tickets are 75 pesos for adults and adolescents, 65 pesos students and children.
Instituto Cabañas
The Instituto Cultural Cabañas is offering a series of Mariachi-themed films from August 14 to 24. Films are shown at 4 and 6 p.m.
An upcoming art exposition is “Improvised Expression” featuring a variety of artists from the non-conventional school, opening August 7.
Exhibits currently showing at the Cabañas include works by Eduardo Sarabia, a California-born artist who has worked in Guadalajara for ten years, and BBVA-Bancomer’s collection of 30 years of contemporary art (1960-1990), including 71 pieces by major Mexican artists. They are up through August 24.
Music offerings
The Orquesta Tipica de Jalisco will hold concerts at the Plaza de Armas in front of the Governor’s Palace on August 6, 7, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27 and 29 – all at 6 p.m. On the menu are sones, polkas, huapangos, boleros, two steps, fantasies, waltzes and musical mosaics.
The State Band plays at the same venue on August 14, 17, 21, 24, 28 and 31, at 6:30 p.m. Their serenades include military marches, waltzes, overtures, symphonies, arias, Mexican and Tapatio potpourri, sones and modern tunes.
The 13th Traditional Mariachi Festival (August 18 to 24) promotes old-style Mariachi music, before the advent of horn sections. All concerts are free and sites include the Casa de Cultura Jaliscience, Plaza Fundadores, the Parian in Tlaquepaque and Plaza de las Americas in Zapopan. Look for a full program next week.