It's late August, and the flags and patriotic memorabilia are out on the streets of Mexico. Here are some pictures of the various flag stands in San Miguel and Dolores Hidalgo. The Mexican Independencia is a major event all over Mexico with music, fireworks, the Grito being sung out on balconies all over the country at 10 P.M. There isn't a dry eye in the crowd. There are two more weeks before the Independencia & more Pictures to come, as the weeks progress.
Vendor with her flag
Flags flying, downtown San Miguel
Downtown Dolores Hidalgo - Mannequins & flags on the street.
Flags, hats, caps, whistles & horns on every corner.
Jicama and flag Vendor
Mexican Flag in tinsel on the municipal building, Dolores Hidalgo
Even outside the main downtown in Dolores, more flags
The bandstand is decorated, ready to go
El dia de los abuelos -- August 28th, grandparents day, celebrated
in style in the Zocolo, Dolores Hidalgo, with a full band and dancing
in the street.
It's early, but the dancing has started, 2 pm to 'Besame Mucho'
The band members
An elderly abuela, sitting , eating her lunch under the portales.
The week long festival of San Antonio de Padua culminates with the 'Locos' parade of over 10,000 participants in costume. This first float of San Antonio, brings on the throng of costumed revelers.
The altar is filled with flowers, decorations and flowers.
Wizard princesses....
and the grand wizards start the festivities
Every neighborhood in San Miguel has its own group of locos or crazies, who attend local and neighborhood festivals, and for this one, they convene together to celebrate their loco-ness
From celebrities...
To death, devils and Fidel Castro
Beautiful women and Mexican luchadors
Payasos, payasos...
Carnaval and cartoon characters
Elaborate costumes
and old dancers..
Kewpie like dolls
Cowgirls and cowboys
Fantastical creatures
Hours and hours are spent creating masks, costumes, floats, and perfecting routines.
The range of masks is from paper mache, to cloth, to rubber and plastic.
Pirates with warts on their noses
The Mojigangas, without which a parade would not be complete. Standing about 12 to 15 feet tall, they weave in and out of the crowd, lowering their heads into your face.
The traditional man and woman
Woman of the night...
Groups of luchadors - Rey Misterio, La Parka, Santo and others
Clowns and pirates and big haired women
Baby diablo on his father's shoulders - his initiation into the big parade.
And, buzz lightyear -
Characters and more characters
Death and skeletons
Hooded figures
More clowns and theatre faces
Monsters and gremlins
The creativity in the hand made masks and costumes is as good as it gets, but unlike the Macy's parade, this is completely local and hecho a mano!
Saddam with donkey ears, devils, clowns and Santo luchador. No one is left out of the melee.
Bugs Bunny, Woody Woodpecker and Goofy too.
Teletubbies
Luchadors fighting in the back of a pickup truck with the foxy babe.
Clowns throwing candy
Huevos in pigtails and hats following the conquistador
Mysterio, handing out candy with reaper behind him
Hands out for candy as the pirates go by
The campesino
Masks worn on the back of heads
What a set of lips!
Some of the best clowns you have ever seen
A young girl between death and George Bush
Vaca loco, death, muertos, skeletons
Gypsies
Shreck wearing Winnie the Pooh
More Death coming....
Mother earth brings up the end
While the early paraders rest on the sidewalk
And the crowds disperse to the south
to the west
North
and East
And the workers from the local shops stand in the bouganvilla lined entries, hoping for a last glimpse
