Parades of Mexico

I recently attended a parade for el Día de la Revolución.  It took place a few days before Thanksgiving in the US, so, although it was totally unrelated, I did get a day off last week.  The day of the parade, I awoke to a message from my coworkers saying that the parade was about to pass the office and that you could grab a chair there for a great view.  I rushed to get dressed and ran out the door, taking time to lather myself in sunblock but not to eat.  As I approached the office and saw that the parade was nowhere in sight, I slowed down and ate some street tacos while chatting with my host family. 

 My favorite float in the parade. 

Two members of the band that kicked off the parade. 

I anticipated that at least one other person from my office would be at the office watching the parade, per the group text messages that morning, but alas, I was alone.  Since there was shade on the street, I decided to grab a chair and see if anyone else might eventually come.  They sadly did not, so when I got a call 1.5 hours later from some friends saying they were at my apartment with a very important Costco delivery of toilet paper and peanut butter, I headed out early.

Parades are super popular here in Mexico which is great for a parade-lover like me.  There are, however, a few things you should know about the parades here, which differ in some aspects from parades back in the US. 

• There’s often a 5- to 10-minute break between each entry in the parade, especially if you're at the half-way or later mark in the parade route.  That means you spend a lot of time sitting and waiting (and thus, should try to have at least one friend with you when attending a parade). 
• You can only see parade participants “perform” at certain places along the route.  Look for those really full sidewalks because that is where the dancers, acrobats, bands, boxers, etc. are going to perform, usually for 3-7 minutes.  
• The bulk of parade participants will be students from local schools.   You’ll see representatives from every local school decked out in full uniform, marching very precisely and very loudly playing drums and trumpets.
• There’s also a strong showing by local government and the military. The government workers usually march in matching shirts, in groups segregated by gender.

 Soldiers participating in the parade. 

 I'm always a fan of a hat attached to the hood of a truck. 

• Royalty is huge here.  You’ll find several people wearing crowns in every parade. 
• In lieu of traditional floats, people decorate the back of their trucks – quite elaborately – and sometimes have a rope for the princess/queen to hold onto for security.
• If you’re a kid, get ready for some sweets because all those trucks filled with royalty will toss out free candy!  
• Each parade usually takes about 3 hours to complete so come prepared with a hat, water and snacks.

 There's always lots of royalty in our parades. 

Well-dressed parade participants. 

 This is one of those 5-minute acrobatic acts along the parade route. 

 Brave gymnasts atop a truck. 

I appreciate the strong community spirit behind each parade that I’ve witnessed here in Mexico.  They usually terminate in the town plaza where vendors are set up selling food and beverages and someone is usually playing or performing music.  I headed back to the plaza after taking delivery of my Costco goods and arrived just in time to see a group of fearless youngsters building human pyramids on top of a large truck (another key feature of most local parades).  I also received a free bottle of water, which was much appreciated since the sun was super strong and it was 88 degrees in late November. 

So, if you are planning a future trip to Mexico and you want a taste of local flavor, I highly recommend visiting when you can check out a local parade.  Looking for a calendar of holidays and celebrations in Mexico?  Check out this link from Frommer's.