Real de Catorce is a village of perhaps 1,500 permanent residents. Most of the time you will not have trouble finding a room if you call well in advance, but several times during the year, the little village swells to as many as 30,000 or more as pilgrams make their way to worship at the church.
Plan your trip around these dates.
| January |
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| January 1 |
Año Nuevo (New Year's Day), is an official Mexican holiday. |
| January 6 |
Día de los Santos Reyes is the day when Mexicans exchange Christmas presents in accordance with the arrival of the three gift-bearing wisemen to Jesus Christ. This day culminates the Christmastime festivities. |
| January 17 |
Feast Day of de San Antonio de Abad is a religious holiday during which the Catholic Church allows animals to enter the church for blessing. |
| February |
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| February 2 |
Día de la Candelaria or Candlemas, is a religious holiday that is celebrated with processions, dancing, bullfights in certain cities, and the blessing of the seeds and candles. |
| February 5 |
Día de la Constitución - An official holiday that commemorates Mexico's Constitution. |
| February 15-20 |
Carnaval - An official Mexican holiday that kicks off a five-day celebration of the libido before the Catholic lent. Beginning the weekend before Lent, Carnaval is celebrated exhubrantly with parades, floats and dancing in the streets. Port towns such as Ensenada, La Paz, Mazatlán and Veracruz are excellent places to watch Carnaval festivities. Dates change slightly as follows: 2007: Feb 15-20; 2008: Jan 31 - Feb 5; 2009: Feb 19-24; 2010: Feb 11-16. |
| February 24 |
Flag Day - This Mexican national holiday honors the Mexican flag. |
| March |
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| March 19 |
Día de San José (St. Joseph's Day) - A religious holiday best seen in Tamulin, San Luis Potosi. |
| March 21 |
Benito Juárez - The Birthday of Benito , a famous Mexican president and national hero, this is an official Mexican holiday. |
| April |
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| Varies |
Semana Santa - Semana Santa is the holy week that ends the 40-day Lent period. This week includes Good Friday and Easter Sunday. It is Mexican custom to break confetti-filled eggs over the heads of friends and family. |
| May |
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| May 1 |
Primero de Mayo - The Mexican national holiday that is equivalent to the U.S. Labor Day. |
| May 3 |
Holy Cross Day Día de la Santa Cruz - When construction workers decorate and mount crosses on unfinished buildings, followed by fireworks and picnics at the construction site. |
| May 5 |
Cinco de Mayo - The Mexican national holiday that honors the Mexican victory over the French army at Puebla de los Angeles in 1862. |
| May 10 |
Mother's Day - Due to the importance of the mother in Mexican culture, Mother's Day is an especially significant holiday. |
| June |
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| June 1 |
Navy Day - an official Mexican holiday. |
| June 3-5 |
Festival of the Desert - Celebrated in Real de Catorce |
| June 24 |
Saint John the Baptist Day - Celebrated with religious festivities, fairs, and popular jokes connected to getting dunked in water. |
| June 29 |
Fiesta of Saint Peter and Saint Paul - There are notable celebrations in Mexcaltitán, Nayarit and Zaachila, Oaxaca |
| July |
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| July 4 |
American Independance Day - Celebrated by the Americans living in Real de Catorce. A great gathering of friends and family with food, drinks and fireworks. |
| August |
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| August 1 |
Real de Catorce Art Walk - Take a tour of the artists galleries and studios in Real de Catorce. Sponsored by Economic Spring Foundation. |
| September |
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| September 1 |
Annual State of the Union - Though this date is an approximation, the President delivers the address in the autumn. |
| September 16 |
Mexican Independence Day - Celebrates the day that Miguel Hidalgo delivered El Grito de Dolores, and announced the Mexican revolt against Spanish rule. |
| October |
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| October 4 (September 15 - October 15) |
Dia de San Francisco de Assisi Day - Celebrated in Real de Catorce. Up to 30,000 pilgrims arrive in Real from all over Mexico, many walking up to 300 miles to visit the church and pray to Saint Francis Assisi for cures and good health. The pilgrims start arriving in September and some stay until October 15. You can expect up to 5 hour delays to arrive in Real through the tunnel. Rooms will have to be booked months in advance and food service will be slow. The streets will be filled with a virtual sea of people. Many of the local residents secure their homes and leave Real during this period. |
| October 12 |
Día de la Raza - This day celebrates Columbus' arrival to the Americas, and the historical origins of the Mexican race. |
| November |
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| November 1 & 2 |
Día de los Muertos - An important Mexican holiday that merges Pre-Columbian beliefs and modern Catholocism. Europe's All Saints' Day and the Aztec worship of the dead contribute to these two days that honor Mexico's dead. |
| November 20 |
Mexican Revolution Day,This official Mexican holiday celebrates the Mexican Revolution of 1910. |
| December |
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| December 12 |
Día de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe - The day of the Virgin of Guadalupe is celebrated with a feast honoring Mexico's patron saint. |
| December 16 - January 6 |
Las Posadas - Celebrates Joseph and Mary's search for shelter in Bethlehem with candlelight processions that end at various nativity scenes. Las Posadas continues through January 6. |
| December 25 |
Navidad - Mexico celebrates the Christmas holiday. |
