Festivals & Events

Excerpted from "The Best of San Miguel de Allende"© by Joseph Harmes. Reprinted with permission. See more at www.thebestofsanmigueldeallende.com 


June 13th : Festividad de San Antonio de Padua (Feast of St. Anthony of Padua). The preacher and miracle worker is one of the best-known disciples of St. Francis of Assisi. Locally, he ranks second in popularity only to San Miguel Arcángel. A parroquia, a former convent, a neighborhood and one of the town's busiest streets bear his name. Among the most common retablos and statues are those dedicated to Saint Anthony (1195-1231), who lived part of his life, and died, in the city of Padua, Italy. He most often is seen holding the child Jesus in his arms. He is the patron of mariners and fishermen, expectant mothers, animals, American Indians and travelers, among others. The fiesta begins earlier in the month at La Parroquia de San Antonio with a novena (nine days of prayer) and nightly fireworks. The weekend closest to the feast day brings a carnival and, most notably, the Fiesta de los Locos on the Sunday closest to June 13. No one knows when the fiesta began but it originated with masked-and usually intoxicated-farmers who marched through town brandishing branches and tools-simultaneously handing out fruit to bewildered onlookers. Today, in an extravaganza found only in San Miguel de Allende, half the town dresses in wild costumes and the rest line streets to catch the tens of thousands of pieces of candy thrown to (and sometimes at) spectators. Residents of Colonia San Antonio are divided into teams of locos (like Mardi Gras krewes in New Orleans) who save and raise money for the group's candy, march together and concoct hilarious floats. Women adopt the persona of their favorite celebrities. Men often dress as women, animals, disgraced politicians, monsters or the most infamous of the moment like, Osama bin Laden or George W. Bush.

June 15th : Jueves de Corpus Christi (Thursday of the Body of Christ, a moveable holiday). A festive day for kids, who receive gifts. Toys are sold throughout the markets and streets and kids perform dances in front of La Parroquia, including one called Los Hortelanos (The Gardeners). In late afternoon, crimson and white banners are draped throughout El Centro. After Mass is said in La Parroquia, the solemn procession of the Blessed Sacrament winds through the streets.