Family fun, fabulous food and a spirit of international friendship were the hallmarks of the second annual Mexican Independence Day fiesta jointly hosted by Manix restaurant and the Lake Chapala Society.
The crowd of some 200 attendees was a 50/50 mix of village natives and expats of diverse nationalities, spanning all age groups from infants to seniors.
The Manix staff laid out a sumptuous all-you-can-eat spread of Mexican fare that included beef birria, frijoles refritos, sopa de arroz, tacos al pastor, pozole and assorted sopes, served with typical toppings and freshly made salsas.
Throughout the afternoon entertainers Blanca and Ricardo let loose with a lively repertoire that got many of the party-goers up and dancing. Manix founder Manuel España recreated the town’s customary Independence Day combate de flores, recruiting a dozen women donning rebozo shawls to parade around the main patio and shower the crowd with fragrant sprigs of golden Santa Maria flowers.
On the other side of the gazebo, spectators and participants alike delighted in a series of traditional games for kids such as musical chairs, sack races and greased pole climbing. The bounty of prizes featured useful school supplies, including crayons, markers, pens and pencils, notebooks, calculators and backpacks.
Game-master Oscar España also roped in some grown-ups for a no-holds-barred round of musical chairs for ladies and a saucy balloon-busting race for couples.
“It was great to see the LCS garden filled with so many people eating, dancing and laughing together,” said Manix head honcho Hector España. “We left very satisfied feeling that we had achieved our objective to foster community fellowship.”