Tag Archives: ¡Viva México! (El grito de Dolores)

¡Viva México! ¡Viva Mazatlán!

The Grito de la Independencia—“shout of independence” or “cry of Dolores“—is a traditional Mexican affair that you owe it to yourself to participate in at least once while you live here. We’ve done it a few times both here and on the 200th anniversary in Guadalajara.

In Mazatlán it happens every 15th of September at 11:00 pm in the Plaza República. The Mayor comes out on the balcony of city hall to ring a bell, shout the official words, and lead the crowd in the national anthem. Most of the country shouts at midnight, but since we’re an hour earlier here on the coast, we do it to coincide with them. Before the mayor’s cry there is folkloric dancing, singing (this year was Heidi Herrera) and other performances, and there’s always a name act that plays after the grito. The first time we went, that act was Chuy Lizárraga, who due to sound malfunction sang right over the national anthem. Click on any photo below to enlarge or view a slideshow.

 

Singing the national anthem
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
The Grito or Cry of Independence
Street vendor in the plaza

This time we read in the paper that the fireworks were going to be fantastic, put on by the same group that does Combate Naval‘s Carnaval fireworks— Lux Pirotecnia (Jorge Márquez) of Mexico City. That was more than reason enough for me to want to go! I love fireworks (5, 4, 3, 2, 1)!

Poor Greg was tired as he’d just driven us from Wisconsin to Mazatlán, plus he had a cold, but when two girlfriends cancelled out on me, he agreed to go despite my assurances that I could go it alone. I was excited to try out my new camera with a brighter lens!

As it’s new, I’m not that good with it yet, so I missed many of the photos I wanted, and I overexposed a few because we were so darned close to the action and you just can’t predict how bright a firework is going to be. Plus, the cathedral wasn’t really lit up, and I wanted it to appear in the shot without having to do a composite.

 

All in all, though, I’m happy. I did get a few good pics; hope you agree. Greg got a great one of the flag and the cathedral; congratulations, sweetheart! And the view we got of the grito itself (above) is sure a different one than the press photographers took.

 

Greg’s pic
Greg’s pic

If you’ve never done the Grito, or if it’s been a long while, be sure to do it next year. This year was much less crowded than usual, I guess because the main act wasn’t as popular as other acts we’ve had. There is also a major parade on 15th September every year, including military, police, fire and first responders, and school children. Many children dress up as heroes and heroines of the War of Independence, so attending the parade or visiting a school on the 15th can be very much fun.

Carnavál Starts Thursday Night!

img_561010-20-03pm1Are you ready? Remember that the fun starts this Thursday night (Feb 7th) with the coronation of the King of Alegría, starting at 7:30 pm in Olas Altas in front of the statue of the Mujer Mazatleca.

Main parade is Sunday, and closing parade will be Tuesday the 12th. Here is a teaser from parade preparations last year, to build your party momentum!

¡Viva México!—Celebrating Mexican Independence Day in Mazatlán

The fiestas patrias this week in Mazatlán are always fun. Independence Day is the annual festival that involves the Grito. It is not to be confused with Revolution Day (Nov. 20), Constitution Day (Feb. 5), or Cinco de Mayo. This one is Independence Day, September 16, the day of “¡Viva México!”

In Mazatlán there is always a huge parade on the 16th, involving military elements and school kids. It is well worth attending. More on the parade below.

There is usually a classical music event in the Angela Peralta theater, this year held on Friday night the 14th.

And, there is our annual favorite, the events leading up to the “grito” on the night of the 15th. Always held in the Plaza República, this year’s events were exceptionally well scripted and performed, and most definitely of international caliber. We are truly blessed to live in this gorgeous port. Where else can you attend events like this, for free, feel very safe, and have front-row seats? We parked a few blocks away, took a nice stroll over, and enjoyed ourselves immensely. The lights in the Plaza were absolutely gorgeous.

 

Though we didn’t show up till about 9:15, events in the Plaza República began at 6:00 pm. When we arrived the incredibly talented young people of the Ballet Folklórico had already been dancing for an hour. We showed up in time to see one of our favorite local bands, La Falsa Orchesta Cubana (from that small island….Isla de la Piedra ;)).

 

 

 

There was a Master of Ceremonies and a clown, Trikis Trakes, who kept the crowd engaged while the stage was rearranged between musical acts.

 

 

 

 

 

We were treated to a selection of “Playback” numbers, the term they use here for lip-synching to retro songs. It was fun, as usual. Definitely a crowd favorite. The young dancers did a truly outstanding job.

 

 

 

 

 

Next up was Mariachi Continental, our local Mazatleco mariachi group. Very happily for us, renowned Mazatlán-born tenor Oscar Gomez was in town (he’d come to star in a Pedro Infante tribute earlier in the week). He accompanied Mariachi Continental on a few songs and it was just incredible. I swear the man carried a note for nearly a minute!

 

 

 

Again, the young dancers blew our socks off! And by now they’d been dancing nearly two hours! Hats off to them and to their teacher!

The only slight misstep of the evening occurred about 10 minutes till eleven, when the Banda de Guerra marched into the Plaza, on time no doubt, but their drums and bugles interrupted the climactic final song of Oscar Gomez, Mariachi Continental and the dance troupe.

 

 

 

 

The Banda de Guerra of course brought in the flag, taking it up inside to the city hall. The boxing match telecast live from Las Vegas was on the TV inside, and even for the arrival of the national flag, that TV wasn’t turned off.

 

 

 

 

 

Mayor Higuera brought the flag out on the balcony in order to deliver his official Grito for the year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Chorus of the Angela Peralta Theater sang the national anthem, also accompanied by the Banda de Guerra.

 

 

 

 

 

Confetti was released twice during the night, once after the Grito and again after the national anthem. It was so beautiful against the lights.

 

 

 

 

 

The official ceremony was followed by an aerial and fire dance performance, conducted just in front of the officials on the balcony of city hall.

 

 

 

 

 

Then a terrific fireworks display over the cathedral. The night was still, so the fireworks were gorgeous though there was little wind to clear the smoke quickly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The final act of the evening was when the real crowds started to arrive: a free concert by perhaps the most popular local banda, Los Porteños.

 

 

 

 

 

Heading out of the Plaza República was really beautiful. By now the place was packed, and in the darkness the lighting really glowed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The events in the Plaza República were vendor-free, so we were thirsty afterwards. We strolled over to the Plazuela Machado for a drink before heading home. The plazuela was jam-packed with families, young people, and groups of adult friends. It was a gorgeous evening there as well.

 

 

 

 

—

Independence Day is an asueto, day off work, and usually involves a puente or long weekend. It commemorates Mexico’s fight for independence from Spain. It is not to be confused with:

  • Revolution Day the on November 20 (which is also an asueto/day off work), commemorating 1920 start of the movement to overthrow dictator Porfirio Díaz, which led to a decade of civil war and the constitution of 1917 and a new president, Obregón, in 1920 .
  • Constitution Day February 5 (1857 and 1917 constitutions, day off work the first Monday of February), or the popular gringo and Mexican-American holiday (which is now resurging here as well):
  • Cinco de Mayo (not a day off of work or día de asueto), which marks Mexico’s independence from France (in Puebla in 1862, President Benito Juarez and General Zaragoza).

El Grito (de Dolores), the Cry of Independence, is an iconic aspect of Mexican Independence Day. It was shouted by Padre Hidalgo from the small town of Dolores near Guanajuato in 1810, and is shouted in most towns and cities of México each year at 11:00 pm on the night of September 15. “¡Viva México!

The annual Independence Day Parade or Desfile Cívico-Militar in Mazatlán usually starts at 9:00 am on the 16th from the Fisherman’s Monument. It includes school kids dressed up, marching bands, and members of the military. This year it included 3000 participants: 1000 members of the Mexican Army’s 8th Infantry Batallion, 400 members of the 4th Naval Zone squadrons, students from eight junior highs, seven high schools and the Nautical School (1500 students total), and horseback riders from the Charro Association. It was a two hour parade culminating at the Aquarium after going down Ave. del Mar and around town.

In 2010 Mexico commemorated its Bicentennial of Independence. We celebrated it in Guadalajara, capital of the state of Jalisco. You can see our blog post about that here.