As you ring in the New Year and hang up the 2017 calendar, you may want to make note of major Mexican civic holidays, traditional festivities and special events that will come up over the next 12 months.
National public holidays (highlighted below in bold type) are commemorated January 1 (New Year’s Day), the first Monday of February (Constitution Day), the third Monday in March (Birth of Benito Juarez), May 1 (Labor Day), September 16 (Independence Day), the third Monday in November (Mexican Revolution Day) and December 25 (Christmas Day). Under labor law, salaried workers, both public and private, are granted a day off with regular pay on all of these dias de asueto (statutory holidays). Employees who work on these dates are entitled to full daily wages plus double time for the hours worked.
Banks and financial institutions, schools, government offices and some businesses shut down operations on these occasions.
Other calendar listings refer to observances and happenings taking place in the Guadalajara metro area or nationwide. Dates marked with an asterisk (*) vary from one year to the next.
January 1: Año Nuevo (New Year’s Day)
January 6: Día de los Santos Reyes (Three Kings Day or Epiphany). Fiestas Patronales de los Reyes Magos in Cajititlán run from December 30 through January 8
January 17: San Antonio Abad (St. Anthony the Abbot) – blessing of farm animals
February 2: Día de la Candelaria (Candlemas)
February 6*: Conmemoración del Aniversario de la Constitución (Constitution Day)
February 14: Día 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 19: Día del Ejercito Mexicano (Mexican Army Day)
February 24: Día de la Bandera (Flag Day)
February 28*: Martes de Carnaval (Mardi Gras)
March 1*: Miércoles de Ceniza (Ash Wednesday)
March 10-17*: Guadalajara International Film Festival.
March 18*: Viernes de Dolores (Friday of Sorrows)
March 20*: Equinoccio de Primavera (Vernal Equinox) – first day of Spring
March 20*: Conmemoración del Natalicio de Juárez (Birth of Benito Juarez)
April 2*: Horario de Verano (Daylight Saving Time begins) – move clocks forward one hour
April 9*: Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday)
April 13*: Jueves Santo (Maundy Thursday)
April 14*: Viernes Santo (Good Friday)
April 16*: Domingo de Resurrección (Easter Sunday)
April 23: Día Internacional del Libro (World Book Day) – public reading marathons
April 30: Día del Niño (Children’s Day)
May 1: Dia del Trabajo (Labor Day)
May 5: Cinco de Mayo (Commemoration Battle of Puebla, 1862)
May 10: Día de las Madres (Mother’s Day, Mexico)
May 15: Día del Maestro (Teacher’s Day)
May 23: Día del Estudiante (Student’s Day)
June 1: Día de la Marina Nacional (Navy Day)
June 18*: Día del Padre (Father’s Day)
June 21*: Solticio de Verano (Summer Solstice) – first day of Summer
June 24: San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist)
July 25: Santo Santiago (St. James the Great). Fiestas Patronales de Santo Santiago Apostol in Tonalá run from July 17-25, culminating with the Juego de Tastoanes masked dance spectacle; similar celebrations held in Nextipac and Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos.
June 29: San Pedro y San Pablo (St. Peter and St. Paul). Fiestas Patronales de San Pedro in Tlaquepaque run from June 14-30.
August 22: Día del Bombero (Fireman’s Day)
August 25-September 3*: Encuentro Internacional del Mariachi y la Charrería (Guadalajara Mariachi and Charrería Festival). The Encuentro Nacional de Mariachi Tradicional runs one week prior to the main event.
August 28: Día del Adulto Mayor (Senior Citizen’s Day)
September 13: Día de los Niños Héroes (Heroic Defense of Chapultepec, 1847)
September 14: Día del Charro (Horseman’s Day)
September 15: Grito de Dolores (Cry of Independence, 1810)
September 16: Día de la Independencia (Independence Day)
September 22*: Equinoccio de Otoño (Autumn Equinox) – first day of Fall
September 28: Día del Servidor Público (Jalisco Bureaucrats Day) – government offices and public institutions close
October, all month: Guadalajara’s annual Fiestas de Octubre (Oktoberfest) & Expo Ganadera (Livestock Fair)
October 12: Día de la Raza (Columbus Day)
October 12: Romería de la Virgen de Zapopan (Guadalajara-Zapopan Pilgrimage)
October 29*: Horario de Invierno (Daylight Saving Time ends) – move clocks back one hour
November 1: Día de todos Santos (All Saints’ Day)
November 2: Día de los Muertos (All Souls’ Day)
November 12: Día del Cartero (Mailman’s Day)
November 20*: Conmemoración del Día de la Revolución Mexicana (Revolution Day)
November 23: Día de la Armada de México (Mexico Armed Forces Day)
November 25-December 3*: Guadalajara’s International Book Fair (FIL)
December 12: Virgen de Guadalupe (Patroness of Mexico)
December 16-24: Las Posadas (Christmas season festivities)
December 21*: Solticio de Invierno (Winter Soltice) – first day of Winter
December 24: Noche Buena (Christmas Eve)
December 25: Navidad (Christmas Day)
December 28: Día de los Santos Inocentes (Holy Innocents Day) – Mexico’s equivalent to April Fools.
December 31: Año Viejo (New Year’s Eve)