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Fiestas
Independence Day Festivities
Merida is all dressed up in red, green and white – our national colors. Since mid-August the Main Plaza, Calle 60 in the Historic Center, Santa Ana and, of course, the majestic Paseo Montejo have been decorated with banners, lights and all kinds of red, green and white decorations.
On many corners you will see the Mexican flag vendors who have a whole cache of fun hats, decorations, banners, noise makers, and other things allusive to the upcoming Independence Day celebration.
While September is “month of the country”, Independence Day is September 15th, commemorating Mexico's independence from Spain in 1810. Celebration festivities will begin around 8:00 PM in the Main Plaza. You are going to find a definite festive atmosphere and crowds of people. Because Independence Day falls on Saturday this year, there will probably be more people out and about.
Saturday evening is also when Corazon de Merida (the weekly outdoor festival when the streets around the Plaza and Calles 60 and 62 are closed to traffic, with live bands and restaurant tables and chairs in the streets) takes place so with both festivities, downtown Merida is going to be a happy, jumping place. Do watch out for pick pockets which are rare but possible.
About 10:30 PM the new governor, Ivonne Ortega, will appear on the balcony of the Governor's Palace with a troupe of city officials and other dignitaries including various foreign consuls and other personalities (Calle 61 side of the Plaza.) She will most likely be dressed in typical dress. She will take the rope of the huge bronze bell that hangs above the balcony and yell Viva Mexico! (long live Mexico!) three times, the crowd will respond with the same Viva Mexico! and then the fireworks and music will begin.
Restaurants, hotels, clubs, discos and private homes will have parties that will start about 10 PM. This is a colorful, festive, fun time. The same ceremony will take place in NYC, Chicago, San Antonio, Los Angeles and wherever there is a Mexican community.
Viva Mexico! Viva Mexico! Viva Mexico!
From September 14th to October 17th, Merida's Cathedral on Calle
60, will be the scene of the yearly traditional festivities for
the Christ of the Blisters. Processions, masses, rosaries, fireworks,
and steel bands are all part of the celebrations and manifestations
of devotions during this religious time. Dating back to 1886, this
is the time of year when the different labor groups and syndicates
in Merida pay homage and adoration to the Christ of the Blisters.
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While there are activities every day during this month-long festival,
there are three prime dates: September 14th, the day they lower
the Christ on the cross; October 9th, the procession at 5:15 PM
when they parade inside the Cathedral, and October 17th at 1:15
PM, the last day of the festivities when they put the Christ figure
back in place.
Every day a different group pays homage when they parade around
the streets of the Cathedral accompanied by steel band music (charanga)
carrying embroidered flags and banners and products of their trade.
The dates of the different trades are: Sat. Sept. 27: construction
workers, Sun. Sept. 28 small businesses, Mon. 29th Young Catholics;
Tues. 30th glassmakers, mirror makers and aluminum workers, Oct.
1st shoemakers, Oct. 2nd seamstresses and embroiderers, Fri. 3rd
chauffeurs, Sat. 4th painters, Suns 5th mechanics, iron workers
and welders, Mon 6th carpenters, 7th ladies, Wed. 8th retailers
and hacienda owners, Thurs. 9th distributors, Fri. 10th retailers,
Sat. 11th professors and students, Sun 12th bakers, Mon. 13th railroad
workers, Tues. 14th knick knack vendors, Wed. 15th business owners
and professional people, Thurs. 16th workers in the markets.
To see these activities, be at the Cathedral at 11:15 AM. Please
do keep in mind, that this is a serious religious time for the participants.
Do take pictures but in a respectful manner. This is truly a National
Geographic or Discovery or Travel Channel type festival.
To read in Spanish click here  |
