An insider’s guide to celebrating 101 triumphant years of ‘La Alborada’ in San Miguel de Allende

Fireworks displays are astatine the epicenter of polarizing conversations among those passing done oregon planting roots successful San Miguel de Allende. “But, wherefore indispensable they bash it astatine specified unusual hours?” galore newcomers wonder, voicing their exhaustion from being kept up by the earth-shattering nightly blasts. The simplest answer? It’s a tradition. 

Never does this taste patrimony ringing louder oregon consciousness much ubiquitously explosive than during La Alborada, oregon “The Dawn,” San Miguel’s yearly citywide festival honoring corporate religion successful the triumph of bully implicit evil. Kicked disconnected with a boisterous cascade of rocket-like illuminations astatine daybreak, the multi-day merriment volition spill into astir each thoroughfare from Oct. 3-12 this year.

San Miguel de Allende is noted for its vibrant and divers festivals, including La Alborada. (Unsplash/Shane Lei)

What to expect for this year’s festival

Flanked by a oversea of monolithic insubstantial stars, this year’s 101st iteration of the lawsuit honoring San Miguel de Allende’s patron saint begins connected the eve of Friday, October 3, with drummers and dancers starring lively parades. The modern-day presentations of La Fábrica la Aurora mill workers’ visions of devotion from the 1920s volition past alteration into a sparkling spectacle that extends beyond downtown into El Teatro del Pueblo, the refurbished tract of the region fair.

Local families volition get precedence entree to the Feria earlier 7:30 p.m. As San Miguel de Allende Mayor Mauricio Trejo expressed astatine the Feria’s opening ceremony, “The just is for San Miguel de Allende, though each of Guanajuato is invited. To enter, they indispensable contiguous a valid elector oregon pupil ID, driver’s licence oregon immoderate different papers that proves they reside successful San Miguel de Allende. After that time, radical from the remainder of the authorities volition beryllium admitted,” Trejo told the crowd, an unprecedented turnout of 55,000 fairgoers astatine the Feria’s 2025 inaugural event.

So drawback your earplugs and hole for 9 days of uninhibited entertainment, profoundly immersive taste exhibitions and unmissable star-studded concerts!

100 Mariachis

One 100 charro-clad mariachis volition execute connected request successful San Miguel de Allende connected Oct. 1. (San Miguel de Allende Gobierno Municipal)

If the municipality square, El Jardín Allende, had to beryllium summed up successful a azygous sound, it would beryllium the jubilant clash of its “warring” mariachis, racing nightly to beryllium the archetypal to fulfill opus requests from lovers, travelers, and partygoers, hoping to cod a fewer 100 pesos successful speech for their concisely wondrous, on-demand concerts. It’s alternatively fitting past that these bands volition intermission their civilian rivalries during the festival known for rejoicing successful the vanquish of evil (Lucifer), by the city’s namesake, San Miguel Arcángel. On Wednesday evening, arsenic the excitement for La Alborada rises palpably, astir 100 charro-suited musicians volition serenade the masses of revelers gathered for 1 nighttime of fine-tuned folkloric harmony. Free of charge; nary tickets required.

Date: Oct. 1, 7 p.m.

Location: Jardín Principal

Cost: Free of charge

Edén Muñoz astatine the Feria

Edén Muñoz is among the top-tier philharmonic acts performing astatine this year’s La Alborada festival successful San Miguel de Allende. (Visit San Miguel)

This year, the Feria is welcoming an awesome lineup of top-tier philharmonic acts. On Thursday, Edén Muñoz, who set the grounds for the astir songs for a determination Mexican set oregon solo creator to person reached the apical spot connected the Billboard charts, Gloria Trevi (who headlined the inaugural performance connected September 20). The year’s astir anticipated solemnisation of civilization and amusement kicked disconnected with a passionate code from Mayor Trejo, calling connected his chap Miguelenses to travel “raspar la bota” (scrape the boot) astatine the household fair. With a humble introduction interest of 25 pesos, the feria offers escaped rides and games erstwhile you’re inside, hoping to instill an ambiance of inclusion, diversity, and unbridled fun.

Date: Oct 2, 9:00 p.m.

Location: Teatro del Pueblo

Cost: 25 pesos

La Alborada

San Miguel de Allende’s yearly La Alborada festival has been going beardown for 101 years. (El Vergel)

A airy amusement that appears to ablution from the heavens volition statesman astatine 4:00 a.m. connected Oct. 4, followed by an Xúchiles procession aboriginal successful the afternoon, whose Indigenous Chichimeca origins wage homage to fallen ancestors. Floral and cacti offerings towering astir 1 and a fractional stories precocious volition beryllium made arsenic the steps of pre-Hispanic dances are stamped into cobblestones. The festivities widen done mid-October, culminating with the iconic El Paseo de San Miguel, during which the archangel’s images are carried passim the city’s galore temple sites.

For those who privation to articulation successful celebrating much than 100 years of piousness-turned-party similar the locals do, the 2025 variation of La Alborada volition spark curiosity, shedding airy connected however the Miguelenses and their customs person shaped this UNESCO World Heritage Site’s lasting legacy.

Date: Oct. 4

Location: Jardín Principal and citywide

Cost: Free of charge

Los Ángeles Azules astatine the Feria

The Mexican legends themselves are making a starring quality astatine the Feria. (Los Ángeles Azules)

As millennials and Gen X get swept up successful the nostalgia of classical hits similar “Como Te Voy a Olvidar” and “Nunca es suficiente,” featuring the inimitable Natalia Lafourçade, these surviving legends volition transportation the torch of their romanticist rancheras to the adjacent generation. Bring connected the accordions, the synthesizers, the five-part harmonies and the electro-cumbia fusion. San Miguel Arcángel is patiently waiting to beryllium reunited with the surviving astatine this celestial fiesta.

Date: Oct. 4, 9 p.m.

Location: Teatro del Pueblo

Cost: 25 pesos

Simone Jacobson is simply a Burmese American taste connector, toddler duplicate mama and writer based successful San Miguel de Allende. By day, she is the Content Director for Well Spirit Collective. In each different moments, she strives to rise compassionate children who ne'er suffer their curiosity, tenderness and radiant light. Read much by Simone here.