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Holidays

Acapulco is a city that loves a good party. In fact, just when one holiday or special event starts winding down, it seems like another comes right on it's heals. Here's the short list of the best times to be in Acapulco if you're looking for some excitement.

Carnival

Feb. 24 - an official five day Mexican holiday that starts the weekend prior to Lent. While Carnival is famous around the world in places like Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans (Marti Gras) , in Mexico truth be told Mazatlan and especially Veracruz have bigger rowdier Carnivals than Acapulco, something I'm definitely going to address at the next city hall meeting where I'm going to demand the city mobilize because so we can start seeing some half-nude girls in g-strings and pasties and drag queen dressed up like Carmen Miranda riding down the La Costera on floats. Carnival's biggest day is Fat Tuesday before it ends on Ash Wednesday each year.

Semana Santa

This is the holy week that bring to a close the forty days of Lent. Semana Santa includes both Good Friday and Easter Sunday. In Acapulco, its an exceptionally hedonistic week as people form Mexico city fill the city in a collective effort to totally forget about Jesus for a week. They often break confetti-filled eggs over peoples heads or spray them with foam. Some particularly devious sorts like to throw the confetti in other people's mouths. As a Gringo, man, I can't make it out of a parade area without being covered in foam and confetti to the point I'm unrecognizable.

New Years Eve

Another great time to be in Acapulco. The fireworks over the bay, all I have to say is that you have to see it to believe it.

Spring Break

Acapulci is become BIG with the college crowd due to it's exciting nightlife and multitude of private villa rentals that can accomodate large groups.

Mexican Holidays



Date Holiday
January 1 Ano Nuevo - this means fireworks with out end over Acapulco bay.
January 6 Día de los Santos Reyes - a day to celebrate the arrival of the three wisemen at the birth of baby Jesus.
January 17 Day of de San Antonio de Abad is a religious holiday where the Catholic Church allows animals inside the church for a blessing.
February 5 Día de la Constitución an official holiday commemorating Mexico's Constitution.
February 14 Día de la Amistad/San Valentín - Valentine's Day (A holiday created by the Greeting Card industry to boost sales).
February 24 Día de la Bandera, Flag Day.
March Mes dedicado al culto de Señor San José, a
Month dedicated to the worship of Saint Joseph.
8 San Juan de Dios, St. John of God Day
17 San Patricio, St. Patrick's Day
18 Expropiación Petrolera, Nationalization of Petroleum Industry
19 Día de San José, St. Joseph's Day
21 Natilicio de Benito Juárez, Benito Juarez' Birthday
April 16 Domingo de Ramos, Palm Sunday
20 Jueves Santo, Maundy Thursday
21 Viernes Santo, Good Friday
22 Sábado Santo y de Gloria, Holy Saturday
23 Domingo de Gloria/Pascua de Resurrección, Easter Sunday
25 San Marcos, Patron Saint of Aguascalientes
30 Día del Niño, Children's Day
May 1 Día del Trabajo, Labor Day; Also San José Obrero, St. Joseph Day.
May 5 Cinco de Mayo - honors the Mexico's victory over the French in Puebla in 1862. Batalla de Puebla, Battle of Puebla
May 3 Día de la Santa Cruz, Holy Cross Day
May 10 Día de las Madres Mother's Day, Mother's Day
May 15 San Isidro Labrador, St. Isador the Farmer. A day for the blessing of animals.
June 1 Mes dedicado al culto del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús

Navy Day is an official Mexican holiday.
3 Domingo de Corpus, Corpus Christi
4 Domingo de Asención, Ascension Sunday
Pascua de Pentecostés, Pentecost
13 San Antonio de Padua, St. Anthony of Padua
3rd Sunday in June: Día del Padre, Father's Day
24 San Juan Bautista, St. John the Baptist
27 Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro, Our Lady of Perpetual Succor
29 San Pedro y San Pablo, St. Peter & St. Paul
July Mes de la preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Month of the Precious Blood of Christ
4 Nuestra Señora del Refugio, Our Lady of Refuge
16 Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Our Lady of Mount Carmel
18-25 La Guelaguetza-Lunes del Cerro Festival, Oaxaca, Oax. Traditional Folk Festival in Oaxaca
25 Santiago Apóstol, St. James the Apostle
August 15 La Asunción de la Virgen María, The Assumption of the Virgen Mary
28 San Agustín, St. Augustine, Patron Saint of Puebla
Sept. Mes de la Fiestas Patrias, Month of National Festivities
September 1 Annual State of the Union Address by the President of Mexico
13 Aniversario de la muerte de los Niños Heroes, Young Heroes of Chapultepec
14 Día del Charro, Horseman's Day
15 Conmemoración del Grito de la Independencia, Independence Cry "El Grito"
16 Día de la Independencia, Independence Day - Celebrates the day that Miguel Hidalgo delivered El Grito de Dolores, and announced the Mexican revolt against Spanish rule.
October Mes dedicado al Santísimo Rosario, Month dedicated to the Holy Rosary
4 San Francisco de Asís, Patron Saint of Chapala, Jalisco
7 Nuestra Señora del Rosario, Our Lady of the Rosary
12 Día de la Raza, Columbus Day Día de la Raza - Celebrates Columbus' arrival to the Americas and birth of the Mexican race; Also, Romería de la Virgen de Zapopan, Pilgimage Guadalajara-Zapopan
28 My Birthday and also Dia de San Judas
Nov. 1 Todos los Santos, All Saints Day Día de los Muertos is an important Mexican holiday that merges Pre-Columbian Aztec religion and modern Catholicism.
2 Día de los Fieles Difuntos, Day of the Dead-All Souls Day
12 Día del Cartero, Mailman's Day - post offices are closed
20 Aniversario de la Revolución Mexicana, Revolution Day
22 Santa Cecilia, St. Cecilia,Patron Saint of Musicians
30 San Andrés, St. Andrew, Patron Saint of Ajijic, Jalisco
Dec. Month of the Nativity of the Lord and of the Virgin of Guadalupe.
6 San Nicolás, St. Nicholas Day
8 La Inmaculada Concepción de la Virgen María, Day of the Immaculate Conception
12 Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Our Lady of Guadalupe
16-24 Posadas Navideñas, Pre-Christmas festivities
24 Noche Buena, Christmas Eve
25 Navidad, Christmas Day
28 Día de los Santos Inocentes, Day of the Holy Innocents
31 Festejos de fin de Año, New Year's Eve