International Festival Of Santa Lucía Brings Mexican Art And Culture Home

The show must go on for Mexico's International Festival of Santa Lucía The 27-day cultural event goes digital and offers the opportunity to enjoy lineup from the comfort of home

Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico - October 19, 2020 - The Santa Lucia International Festival, which started on the 11th of October, has reaffirmed its position as one of the largest cultural events in Latin America with a 27-day program scheduled to broadcast performances by over 300 artists on all of its social media platforms for a global reach while bringing the arts to the neighborhoods in Monterrey, Mexico.

"We know the importance of culture, that is why in this 2020 edition, in the global context of health, sanitary and security measures, we had to find a way to continue the festival and face the pandemic head-on," said Lorenia Canavati von Borstel, President of the Festival Internacional de Santa Lucía. "The Festival will go on with the use of virtual technology, digital and electronic media, as well as with mobile stages and pop-up shows in support of our artists, to show the world what can be done in Mexico."

Taking place until November 29th, festival producers are not taking health precautions lightly and will be publishing line-ups on Sundays for the following week in alliance with the current health situation in the city and the state's health indicators.

Most of the events will not have onsite audience participation and most of the performances will be done either digitally or pre-recorded with some performances taking place inside an innovative traveling stage that will take artists to neighborhoods around Monterrey and exposing locals to the festivals offering, In its thirteenth edition, the FISL will feature 27 days of the festival for 7 weeks under the slogans of hope, unity, gratitude, pride, love, inspiration, and joy. With a line-up of 85 cultural and artistic events in 32 locations, more than 340 artists, 4 concerts in a new modality, 2 exhibitions: "The arts of Monterrey back to the source" and 5 illuminated buildings "lights of hope”.

Mexico's Charros de Jalisco Celebrates Its 100th Anniversary

Charros, a pillar of Mexican culture, will honor their equestrian traditions this September in the state of Jalisco. More than a form of rodeo, charrería is a way of life and is designated an UNESCO-designated Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. There are numerous activities travelers can participate in to experience a taste of one of Mexico's oldest cultural traditions.

JALISCO, Mexico -- Charrería, Mexico's national sport and an UNESCO-designated Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, will take center stage in the state of Jalisco this September when Charros de Jalisco, Mexico's first-ever competitive charro group, celebrates its 100th anniversary. More than a form of rodeo, charrería is a way of life in Jalisco, originating from Mexico's herdsmen culture of the 1500s and passed down through generations. Travelers interested in experiencing a taste of one of Mexico's oldest cultural traditions can participate in the following activities:

CHARRO CHAMPIONSHIP
Guadalajara, Jalisco's capital city, will host the Charro Championship September 10 – 20 at Lienzo Charro Jalisco arena. During this 10-day competitive event, visitors will have the chance to watch Jalisco's top charros perform impressive feats including lasso work, horse training, bull riding, and the "El Paso de la muerte" where riders jump from a trained horse to a wild horse at a gallop. Escaramuzas participate in all-female competitions that feature eight riders dressed in traditional attire performing choreographed, synchronized routines, all while riding side saddle.

GRAND PARADE
On September 14, visitors can view one of the celebration's most-anticipated events, the Sanctuary of the Virgin parade which will recount the history of charrería, ending in Guadalajara's Lienzo Charro Jalisco. The parade gives visitors a prime opportunity to see the traditional attire of charros and escaramuzas up close. Custom made outfits consist of perfectly tailored leather pants, matching vest and short jacket, silk bow tie, and sombrero for the charros and colorful dresses or blouses with full skirts and sombreros for the escaramuzas. A full schedule and parade route will be confirmed in the coming months.

EQUESTRIAN SHOW
Other scheduled activities in Guadalajara include an equestrian show titled "Charrería Pasión y Revolución" that will take place at Lienzo Charro Jalisco on September 11 and September 18. Tickets will be available for purchase one month in advance of the event.

LANDMARK CHARRO VISIT
For the first time in history, the Charros de Salamanca from Salamanca, Spain, the forefathers of the Charros de Jalisco, will visit Guadalajara on September 16, the day of Mexican Independence. While in Guadalajara, the Salamanca charros will host programming to share their culture with locals and travelers in Guadalajara. More information on their schedule will be available in the coming months.

CHARRERIA YEAR ROUND
Visitors who can't make the anniversary celebrations can still experience charrería through a variety of other activities offered in Jalisco year-round. The Charros de Jalisco team practices every Sunday at noon at the Lienzo Charros de Jalisco arena. Spectators are welcome for an entry fee of 50 pesos (US$3). The arena is currently undergoing renovations and is slated to re-open prior to February 14 for a nationwide tournament. Other annual events include the children's charro championship, which will take place April 30 – May 2, and the women's championship, "Feria de escaramuzas," to take place May 8 – 10.

Visitors can also book guided group or private tours of Lienzo Charros de Jalisco in English. Andares de México offers "Charrería Tour, World Heritage of Humanity" organized by a member of the Charros de Jalisco team, and Panoramex offers guided tours that give participants the chance to tour the stables, view the charrería, and ride one of the horses boarded at the arena.

In Puerto Vallarta, Canopy River offers "Fiesta in the Mountains," which brings visitors through rural areas outside of the city to learn about the traditions and customs of Jalisco at fairgrounds featuring games, local food, live mariachi, and charrería.

In the town of Tequila, Mundo Cuervo's Centro Cultural Juan Beckmann Gallardo houses "The Essence of the Land," an exhibition exploring charrería's history in Jalisco.

For more information on Charros de Jalisco's anniversary programming, please visit their Facebook page.

About Jalisco
Located in western Mexico, the state of Jalisco is the birthplace of many of Latin America's greatest cultural treasures including tequila, mariachi, and the national sport of charrería (Mexican rodeo). Jalisco's diverse topography ranges from scenic mountains to arid agave fields, cosmopolitan urban centers, and world class beaches stretching more than 200 miles along the Pacific coast. Guadalajara, Jalisco's capital and the second largest city in Mexico, exquisitely balances modernity and tradition with world-class cuisine, contemporary arts, and a rich cultural heritage. Puerto Vallarta, one of Mexico's most popular tourist destinations, offers fun in the sun on a stunning shoreline; and the up-and-coming Costalegre region is known for its picturesque beaches, capes, and bays and upscale bohemian chic vibe.

Jalisco is also home to eight Magical Towns, as designated by the Mexico Ministry of Tourism. Selected for their natural beauty, cultural richness, traditions, folklore, historical relevance, cuisine, arts and crafts and hospitality, Jalisco's Magical Towns include Tequila and the surrounding blue agave fields (a UNESCO World Heritage Site); the artisan-centric Tlaquepaque; and San Sebastián del Oeste, known for its UNESCO World Heritage historic center, and production of raicilla, an up-and-coming agave distilled spirit.

Travel to Jalisco is easily accessible via two international airports: Miguel Hidalgo International Airport (GDL) in Guadalajara and Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) in Puerto Vallarta. Both have daily direct flights available from major cities across the United States. For more information, please visit https://visitjalisco.com.mx/.

SOURCE Charros de Jalisco

Puerto Vallarta 'May Fest 2018' Celebrates Centennial With Music, Art, Culture, Exhibitions and Sports

May Fest takes place May 26 to 31 with concerts by Grammy Award winners La Santa Cecilia and Coachella darlings Bomba Estereo   Puerto Vallarta – A series of artistic, cultural and sports activities make up May Fest 2018, as Puerto Vallarta continues celebrating its centennial as a municipality and 50 years as a city. Organized by the Culture Institute of Vallarta, with the full support of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board, the Ministry of Culture of Jalisco and the Municipal Council of Sports, the May Fest 2018 main stage will be located next to the city’s original lighthouse, now on the Malecon seaside promenade.   The lineup will feature a number of local acts, such as the award-winning Xiutla folkloric ballet, the Salty Feet Jazz Orchestra, the Alas singing school and performance trio La Boquita. International performers will take the main stage, as well. Grammy-winning group La Santa Cecilia — which earns critical acclaim for its mix of genres such as cumbia, bossa nova and boleros —  be the closing act the night of May 26, while Colombian group Bomba Estereo, will close out the night of May 30. May Fest 2018 will conclude Thursday, May 31 with the cutting of a double-anniversary cake to the sounds of a mariachi band. Closing honors will go to Mexican superstar Pepe Aguilar, to be followed by a pyrotechnic show and performance by Sonido Satanas, a native Guadalajara group whose mix of cumbia rhythms with other musical genres never fails to get listeners on their feet and dancing.   Other activities also will take place across Puerto Vallarta’s neighborhoods. The Marina hosts the Centenary Expo from May 18 to June 3, with international exhibitors from Algeria, Cuba, Peru, Colombia, Uruguay, Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Russia, Tunisia, Egypt, Panama, Thailand, Iran, Ghana and Ecuador. Visitors will be able to purchase crafts and sample regional and international cuisine. The Museo del Cuale on Cuale Island, meanwhile, will reopen during the festivities with an exhibition of the archaeological remains of a Galeón de Manila, or Manila galleon (also known as La Nao de China, or “China Ship”), which illustrates the anthropological, commercial and cultural ties of Puerto Vallarta and the Far East. The exhibition has the backing of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and the San Diego Fort Museum. And, starting May 25, two photographic installations recalling key social, economic and cultural events that have shaped Puerto Vallarta since its founding will be shown on the Malecon. Puerto Vallarta will celebrate its birthday the entire year. Major local events are joining in on the festivities; the MEXorc Regatta in March featured a Centennial Race from Los Arcos to the Malecon, Vallarta Downwas held for the second edition and Vallarta Pride hosts a traditional Mexican feria, or fair, complete with clowns and churros in late May. This year has seen the inauguration of many new events, such as thePuerto Vallarta Open, which took place earlier this month. Other events are being worked on and will be confirmed as the months proceed. For more information about May Fest 2018, go tohttp://www.puertovallartaalcien.com. For more information on Puerto Vallarta, please visitwww.visitpuertovallarta.com

Vallarta Pride Brings In The Clowns To Celebrate Puerto Vallarta Centennial

VALLARTA PRIDE BRINGS IN THE CLOWNS TO CELEBRATE PUERTO VALLARTA CENTENNIAL  LGBTQ Event finds “100 Reasons to Celebrate” in Sixth Edition     Puerto Vallarta.- Puerto Vallarta’s annual LGBTQ cultural celebration, Vallarta Pride, will bring a new level of camp to the city’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of its founding with a “100 Reasons to Celebrate” theme, which will culminate on Saturday, May 26 with a grand nighttime shindig worthy of any small-town summer carnival – if that carnival featured half-naked “go-go boys” and drag queens galore. Taking place in Puerto Vallarta from May 20 to 27, Vallarta Pride has grown yearly, with its 2017 edition attracting more than 17,000 visitors. The event has become a staple in the international Pride calendar, and now drives a considerable influx of visitors during what used to be the end of Puerto Vallarta’s traditional high season for tourism. This year, Puerto Vallarta has enjoyed one of its most active seasons for the LGBT market, with multiple events taking place across town and entertainment headliners such as Hedda Lettuce, Mama Titis, Miss Conception and Kim Kuzma taking up residency across the Zona Romantica, Puerto Vallarta’s “gayborhood.” This year, Vallarta Pride’s annual parade will take place on Thursday, May 24. It will start at the Hotel Sheraton Buganvilias, flow into the oceanfront Malecón promenade and culminate on Lázaro Cárdenas Street, where thousands will join a block party with “circuit” music, multicolor light shows, go-go dancers and fireworks hosted by Fiesta Bar, La Noche, Mr. Flamingo, Los Muertos Brewing, CC Slaughters and La Margarita. There will also be multiple women’s events. The Vallarta Pride International Film Festival will hold a Women’s Film Festival Screening on Wednesday,  May 23; Pink & Proud will present the Official Women Only Party on Friday, May 25; and an Only Girls Cocktail event takes place at the Verona Bistro Bar on Saturday, May 26. Celebrities such as country singer Steve Grand, transgender Mexican singer Morgana Love and Mexican actress and singer Lorena Herrera will be performing this year, with Herrera performing double duty as this year’s Grand Marshal and the star of the free concert offered by Vallarta Pride on Friday, May 25 at Teatro Vallarta. Other highlights include the annual Drag Derby, an LGBT Art Walk, an Adam & Steve Party at Casa Cupula, a beach gym, a casino night and a sunset “Wet and Wild Cruise,” plus a host of community activities and cultural events. The Big Top Party will take place May 25 at Puerto Vallarta’s newest venue, Top Sky Bar, hosted by entrepreneur and public figure Eliad Cohen and featuring performances by music artist Nikki Valentine. Puerto Vallarta is renowned as the premier LGBT vacation destination in Mexico. The country’s first IGLTA member, since 2014, it was also honored as the first city in Mexico to be granted Gay Travel Approved status by GayTravel.com. GayCities.com users named Puerto Vallarta their “Fun in the Sun Destination” in the site’s 2016 “Best of Gay Cities” poll. Puerto Vallarta was also named an International LGBTQ Destination at tourism industry awards Travvy Awards 2017 and listed as a top beach destination by Passport magazine in April 2017.   Puerto Vallarta vacation properties are offering special Pride packages online at www.vallartapride.com For more information on Puerto Vallarta, please visit: www.visitpuertovallarta.com