Guadalajara’s cumpleaños
Guadalajara celebrates its 474th birthday on Sunday, February 14 and has lined up plenty of fun events to mark the date.
The day begins with a a floral offering being laid at the statue of Beatriz Hernandez in the Plaza Fundadores. Hernandez’s stubbornness played a major role in ensuring that Guadalajara remained in its current location, after five previous attempts to found the city had been thwarted for various reasons.
At 8:30 a.m., a band will perform a rousing version of “Las Mañanitas,” Mexico’s answer to “Happy Birthday,” at Guadalajara City Hall (Palacio Municipal). At 9:30 a.m. everyone is welcome to get line for a free handout of hot chocolate and picon, a popular sweet bread.
At 5 p.m. a free concert with something for all tastes tales over the Glorieta Niños Heroes on Avenida Chapultepec, featuring Trio Los Dandys, San Juan Project, La Manta, Orquesta Perez Prado and the High and Mighty Brass Band.
Pope on large screen in Zapopan
Only 220 tickets for Pope Francis’ visit to Michoacan on Tuesday, February 16 have been issued to Jalisco residents. However, the pope’s message will be projected live onto big screens in Zapopan’s Plaza de las Americas, opposite the Basilica.
Java lovers welcome at expo
Expo Guadalajara hosts Expo Café y Gourmet from February 25-27, a trade show aimed at all those involved in the food and beverage industries, and the public in general. Although coffee-related exhibitors will predominate, there will be a strong showing of providers showing off food products such as jams, sauces, wines, candies, artisan breads and cheeses, cooking oils and more.
Chiapas artists in Tlaquepaque
Brigitte Ordoquy, the Chiapas artist coordinator for the annual Feria Maestros del Arte in Chapala, is working with Galería Corazon de la Tierra in Tlaquepaque on a Chiapas promotion for the Enart week.
The promotion will start Wednesday, February 17 and run through Sunday, February 21. The artisans/artist will sell their own work at Chiapas prices, as well as give seminars and demonstrations. They are all paying for their own transportation, while the store owner is pitching in for accommodation and food, and will not take any commission.
The artisans include Feliciana Ramirez Diaz with her whimsical sculptures; curandera, story teller, potter and embroider Maruch Mendez; Petrona from Leñateros selling books; and Juan Chawuk, a Tojolabal contemporary painter from San Cristobal.
The aim is to promote Chiapas, the indigenous artists and draw interior decorators, hotels, stores and collectors to the store.
Galería Corazon de la Tierra is at Juarez 245 in downtown Tlaquepaque. The gift and decoration show Enart runs from February 16-20. See www.enart.com.mx.