There’s a fiesta, fair or major happening going on somewhere in Mexico every day of the year. The Reporter has compiled a month-by-month run down of major dates to mark on the 2013 calendar.
Official national holidays (highlighted below in bold type) fall on January 1, the first Monday in February, the third Monday in March, May 1, September 16, the third Monday in November and December 25.
Banks, schools, government offices and some businesses shut down operations on such occasions. They may also close for major local celebrations.
Federal labor laws grant salaried workers, both public and private, a day off with regular pay on all of these dias de asueto (statutory holidays). Employees who do work on these dates are entitled to their full daily wages plus double time for the hours worked.
The remaining calendar listings indicate important civic commemorations, religious celebrations and other events coming up in the Guadalajara metro area or nationwide over the next 12 months. Those marked with an asterisk (*) change dates from year to year.
January 1: Año Nuevo (New Year’s Day)
January 6: Dia de los Santos Reyes (Three Kings Day-Epiphany)
January 17: San Antonio Abad (St. Anthony the Abbot) - blessing of farm animals
February 2: Dia de la Candelaria (Candlemas)
February 4: Conmemoracion del Aniversario de la Constitucion (Constitution Day)*
February 12: Martes de Carnaval (Mardi Gras)*
February 13: Miercoles de Ceniza (Ash Wednesday)*
February 14: Dia del Amor y la Amistad (Valentine’s Day)
February 14: Aniversario de la Ciudad (Anniversary of the foundation of Guadalajara, 1542) – special events held around the city.
February 24: Dia de la Bandera (Flag Day)
March 1-9: Guadalajara International Film Festival*
March 18: Conmemoracion del Natalicio de Juarez (Birth of Benito Juarez)*
March 22: Viernes de Dolores (Friday of Sorrows)*
March 24: Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday)*
March 28: Jueves Santo (Maundy Thursday)*
March 29: Viernes Santo (Good Friday)*
March 31: Domingo de Resurreccion (Easter Sunday)*
April 7: Horario de Verano (Daylight Saving Time begins) – move clocks forward one hour)*
April 30: Dia del Niño (Children’s Day)
May 1: Dia del Trabajo (Labor Day)
May 5: Cinco de Mayo (Commemoration Battle of Puebla, 1862)
May 10: Dia de las Madres (Mother’s Day-Mexico)
May 15: Dia del Maestro (Teacher’s Day)
June 16: Dia del Padre (Father’s Day)*
June 24: San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist)
June 29: San Pedro y San Pablo (St. Peter and St. Paul)
July 25: Santo Santiago (St. James the Great)
August 22: Dia del Bombero (Fireman’s Day)
August 28-September 8: Encuentro Internacional del Mariachi (Guadalajara Mariachi Fest)*
September 13: Dia de los Niños Heroes (Heroic Defense of Chapultepec, 1847)
September 14: Dia del Charro (Horseman’s Day)
September 15: Grito de Dolores (Cry of Independence, 1810)
September 16: Dia de la Independencia (Independence Day)
September 28: Dia del Servidor Publico (Bureaucrats Day, may be observed this year on Friday)
– government offices and public institutions close.
October, all month: Guadalajara’s annual Fiestas de Octubre (Oktoberfest) & Expo Ganadera (Livestock Fair)
October 12: Dia de la Raza (Columbus Day)
October 12: Romeria de la Virgen de Zapopan (Guadalajara-Zapopan Pilgrimage)
October 27: Horario de Invierno (Daylight Saving Time ends) – move clocks back one hour*
November 1: Dia de todos Santos (All Saints’ Day)
November 2: Dia de los Muertos (All Souls’ Day)
November 12: Dia del Cartero (Mailman’s Day)
November 18: Conmemoracion del Dia de la Revolucion Mexicana (Revolution Day) – parades in some places held on November 20*
November 30-December 5: FIL – Guadalajara’s International Book Fair*
December 12: Virgen de Guadalupe (Patroness of Mexico)
December 16-24: Las Posadas (Christmas season festivities)
December 24: Noche Buena (Christmas Eve)
December 25: Navidad (Christmas Day)
December 28: Dia de los Santos Inocentes (Holy Innocents Day), Mexico’s equivalent to April Fools.
December 31: Año Viejo (New Year’s Eve)