Following the recent opening of the tunnel under the rail tracks at Novelistas and Avenida Juan Palomar y Arias (above), the latter avenue has finally been extended all the way to the Periferico. The new stretch of Juan Palomar y Arias between Av. Naciones Unidos and the Perifierco which opened this week has six lanes and is expected to ease traffic flow on Av. Patria and Av. Acueducto. Speed cameras will be in operation.
Public schoolchildren in Guadalajara line up this week to receive free backpacks as part of the statewide program introduced by Jalisco Governor Aristoteles last year. In total, 1,587,440 mochilas will be distributed to primary and secondary schoolchildren in the coming weeks. The new school year starts on Monday, August 18 and all the backpacks should be delivered by the end of the first week. Some 260,000 of the free backpacks were made by inmates at state prisons.
Todas a Chapu festival
Dozens of activities are on the menu at “Todas a Chapu,” a wide-ranging cultural festival that will engulf recently remodeled Avenida Chapultepec on Sunday, August 10, from 2-8 p.m.
The entire avenue will be shut off to traffic to accommodate seven cultural “zones” at various intersections. Visitors can walk at their leisure along the tree-lined avenue, taking in a huge range of entertainment, spanning music of various genres, as well as a dance and theater. Also set up along the renovated central divider will be commercial and crafts booths, a classic car exhibit, art shows, chess groups and workshops for kids/adults. Also expect to see demonstrations of circus arts, danzon, poetry readings, fashions and more. There’s no charge for any of the events.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the times and locations of some of the events.
Av. Chapultepec, between Hidalgo and Morelos
2 p.m. Manuel García (contemporary flute)
5 p.m. Bad Boy Blues Band
6 p.m. Los Villanos (blues)
7 p.m. Troker (jazz)
Av. Chapultepec, from Vallarta to López Cotilla
3 p.m Manuel García (contemporary flute)
4 p.m. Mario Helmen (saxophonist)
6 p.m. Chilakil Brass Band (Mexican music, jazz and classical)
7 p.m. Pollo Bollo (family comedy)
Av. Chapultepec, from López Cotilla to La Paz
2-7 p.m. Arts, chess workshops
3 p.m. Guadalajara Municipal Band
5-8 p.m. Danzon
Av. Chapultepec, from La Paz to Lerdo de Tejada
2 p.m. Business expo
2 p.m. Salsa (dance) demonstrations
Av. Chapultepec, from Lerdo de Tejada to Guadalupe Zuno
2-8 p.m. Classic car exhibit
3-5 p.m. Circus arts demonstrations
5-7 p.m. Journey to the past (musical interlude)
7-8 p.m. Fashion parade
Av. Chapultepec, from Guadalupe Zuno to Efraín González Luna
2-8 p.m. Classic car exhibit
2-8 p.m. Arts exhibits
3 p.m. Mario Helmen (saxophonist)
3-5 p.m. Chess workshop
4 p.m. Manuel García (contemporary flute)
5 p.m. Storytelling and auction
7 p.m. Poetry readings
Av. Chapultepec, from Mexicaltzingo to Guadalupe Montenegro
2 p.m. Mario Helmen (saxophonist)
3 p.m. Ginger Bulldog (funk)
4 p.m. Grupo Alse (pop ballads)
6 p.m. Blues Berry Band (blues)
Av. Chapultepec, from Av. Niños Héroes to Vidrio
6 p.m. Manuel García (contemporary flute)
7 p.m. Mario Helmen (saxophonist)
Big Latch On
On Saturday, August 2, 105 women and their children came together to breastfeed simultaneously for one minute in Guadalajara’s Parque Metropolitano as part of the Global Big Latch On.
The worldwide event, started in New Zealand in 2005, aims to raise awareness of breastfeeding support and knowledge available in communities.
Organizers said preliminary figures suggest that the Global Big Latch On record of 14,536 set in 2013 was likely to be broken this year. There were 826 locations registered across 31 countries for 2014.
Most health advocates extol the benefits of breastfeeding as the normal way of providing young infants with the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development.
In the 20th century, as more mothers in many urban centers went to work, women began to eschew breastfeeding, especially as infant formulas became readily available. In addition, negative perceptions of breastfeeding in social settings led some women to feel discomfort when breastfeeding in public.
It is estimated that less than 30 percent of mothers in Mexico choose to breastfeed their children.
New car park
Parking in Tlaquepaque will get a whole lot easier next week when Mayor Alfredo Barba opens a new 300-space lot located behind the Centro Cultural El Refugio.
The crafts suburb of Tlaquepaque has many charms but parking is not one of them. It’s now almost impossible to find a space on the street within walking distance of the tourist center and public garages are few and far between. The new parking lot should also help boost attendance at the Refugio center, which hosts many important events thoughout the year, including the twice-yearly TlaqueParte show, which is popular with the expatriate community.