Every April the usually quiet streets of Aguascalientes set the stage for one of the largest festivals in Latin America. The Feria Nacional de San Marcos, arguably the most important fair in Mexico, fills the streets of Aguascalientes' Centro Historico with millions of tourists from all over Latin America as the city comes alive with concerts, bullfighting, art exhibitions, and charreadas. The festival has become a major part of the identity of Aguascalientes and is one of the most recognized festivals in Latin America.
This year, Aguascalientes state Governor, Tere Jiménez, announced that the concert side of the fair will have a diverse bill of performers as part of the state’s open arms and welcoming attitude to its visitors. Starting with a performance by Dutch DJ, Don Diablo, visitors can also enjoy the sounds of 80’s pop band Toto, Mexican pop star Belanova, reguetón artists Wisin, banda-pop musicians Alicia Villareal, La Original Banda Limón, Conjunto Primavera, Invasores and Cardenales de Nuevo León and Spanish artists Alejandro Sanz, Carlos Baute, Plácido Domingo; while international superstars like Sting, Christina Aguilera, Il Divo and Enrique Iglesias.
José Ángel González Serna, President of the National Fair of San Marcos Board, highlighted that this celebration is a unique festival filled with traditions, history, and rich content. It is an unforgettable experience for those who have already lived it, which is why it attracts more visitors and tourists each time.
With a history that dates back nearly two centuries, the Feria Nacional de San Marcos is a sampling of the very best art, culture, and regional history, with fun activities for the entire family. More than 1,500 events take place at the festival each year, and most of them are free to attend, including concerts, theater performances, sporting events, culinary competitions, fashion shows, rides, and activities for kids.
The 2023 festival brought A-list stars to the stage. But the Feria also features a bullfighting series and one of the most important livestock exhibitions in Latin America. All of these events, captivate close to 9 million visitors every year.
During the weeks that the festival is in town, several businesses close and it’s treated like a local/national holiday. So important is the Feria to Aguascalientes that the city operates Mexico's only "walk-in casino" during festival time, made legal by a special permit. This allows the casino to operate for a fixed and limited time each year, exclusively for the fair and offers people ages 18 and over to try their luck at roulette, Blackjack, Poker, and other casino games.
One of the main venues for the festival is Isla San Marcos, a 108-acre area in the city designed exclusively for entertainment. Manicured walking paths, wind their way around a pond, at the center of which is a towering statue of La Catrina, as well as one of the largest mechanical clocks in Latin America. This area is home to the Livestock Exhibition, which is an integral part of the Feria San Marcos. Visitors will also find restaurants, amusement rides, shopping, and a zip line course all at the Isla San Marcos.
Charreada competitions are held at the San Marcos Arena, which is also part of Isla San Marcos. Charreria is a national sport in Mexico and the competitions in Aguascalientes during the Feria draw more than 12,000 spectators to the arena.
Today’s Feria de San Marcos is very much still rooted in the historic traditions of the early days of its inception. The very first Feria was held in 1828 in the neighborhood of San Marcos, just a few blocks from the capital city's Zocalo, or main square. By the end of the 19th century, the Mexican Central Railway had made Aguascalientes an important transfer hub. Because of this, news of the Feria spread far and wide.
When the festival began it was a harvest festival designed to put the produce and livestock of Aguascalientes into the spotlight. By 1842, the church donated a large plot of land, which was then transformed into the Jardin de San Marcos, from which the modern-day festival takes its name. In 1896, the Plaza de Toros San Marcos was constructed, at which point bullfights were included on the list of annual festival events. What skyrocketed the festival to national status was the expansion of the railway in Aguascalientes, as well as recognition of the event by President Adolfo Lopez Mateos in 1956.
Today that message has spread to all corners of Latin America and the festival itself fills the streets of the Centro Historico, the Jardin de San Marcos, the Templo de San Marcos, and Isla San Marcos — all essential parts of the city of Aguascalientes and each one hosting its own share of the more than 1,000 events and exhibitions.
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