Colors of Guadalajara - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

National culture of Guadalajara is quite versatile and original. You can find its originality in simply every single area of life. Many tourists associate this resort primarily with tequila of an excellent quality. This popular national drink is produced in the town of Tequila, which is located in a suburban area of Guadalajara. Many tourists prefer to purchase the locally produced tequila as a memorable gift. Another notable thing is the fact that local shops offer visitors to purchase the drink in a variety of containers. You can even find tequila packed in big five-liter cans at local trade fairs.

The city often hosts a rodeo called "charreada" - an incredible and exciting entertainment that attracts not only locals but also tourists. It should be noted that bullfighting is considered one of the most popular forms of entertainment for local residents, so many national souvenirs are directly related to it. Simply each gift shop offers customers to purchase a cowboy outfit - belts with beautiful buckles, boots and hats. During a year Guadalajara hosts a lot of interesting events, the most striking of which is mariachi music festival.

The love of local people to songs and dancing is also a vibrant national trait. The folklore of this nation is so inimitable and incomparable that is has won recognition in almost all Latin American countries. The festival traditionally attracts musicians and singers from Germany, Austria and Canada, Italy, Croatia and Slovakia – there are really many fans of mariachi in these countries. The holiday starts with a solemn parade, which is attended by all the musical groups that participate in the event. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Quite a remarkable fact - during performances all musicians and singers must be dressed in national costumes. It's really hard to imagine that American and Croatian artists can perform wearing traditional Mexican outfits. For the first time the colorful music festival took place as early as in the middle of the 19th century. Stray musicians traveled from one city to another and gave performances that were always awaited by local inhabitants with great impatience. With time these music bands started emerging in large ensembles. The festival has acquired a lot of interesting features and traditions. Now connoisseurs of Mexican folklore can be found literally in every country, so there’s no wonder why this mariachi festival is so popular.

Connoisseurs of Mexican cuisine can be found in virtually every country. Well-known tacos, quesadillas, burritos - this is definitely something worth trying first. The local cuisine is also famous for such dishes as tortas (sandwich with meat under a rich layer of sauce), "pozole" (soup with meat, lettuce, lime, and corn), mole (chocolate with spices and nuts), chilaquiles (chicken with cheese and chile). And, of course, tequila - no holiday is complete without the alcoholic beverage, which has become a symbol of colorful Mexico. On the territory of the city, there is a factory for its production - Casa Herradura.

One of Guadalajara's most colorful events is the one-month Ceramics Fair. It opens in mid-June and ends in the middle of the second month of summer. Besides the fact that here you can buy some unique things, this is a great opportunity to listen to songs by mariachi - no festival in Guadalajara can do without their participation. Some other interesting fairs are Feria Internacional del Libro FIL scheduled for the end of November and Juegos Mecánicos Villas de San Juan, which is held in late June. Be sure to visit them with kids - it will be an extraordinary adventure with carousel riding and feeling the festive atmosphere. Let them find out what a real holiday is.

There is also the local Oktoberfest, which is known as Fiestas de Octubre. It takes a whole month, starting at the end of September and ending at the end of next month. The venue is Auditorio center, a large arena-like field where a lot of beers from many brewing companies are presented. This means that it will be easy to find “your own”, the most interesting beer. In addition to the gastronomic program, there will also be the musical one, including performances by local rock bands.

The name of another event dedicated to hard music is the Roxy Festival scheduled for mid-April. Here, in Parque Trasloma, you can listen to rock music of completely different subgenres - new metal, hardcore, indie, reggae, and classic hard rock. Besides regional bands' performances, concerts of world-famous stars from all over the world are prepared for visitors. At the same festival, you can taste national dishes, which means that the holiday cannot be considered unhappy.

The end of November in Guadalajara will be hot because one of the most significant events in the festival life of the city takes place at this time. We are talking about 212 RMX, an event with an extensive program that includes dancing, music, and just fun, which is passed to everyone like the baton. The venue is Chapultepec Avenue. Here you can listen to music of various genres, as well as completely different performers - both local ones and those who came from afar. All this time you can enjoy the extraordinary taste of local dishes.

At the end of June, those who've decided to visit Guadalajara have a unique opportunity to witness such an event as the Rondante Fest. It is held in Trasloma Center. A fair, music, theatrical performances, workshops, public festivals, a children's program, dancing - these are just a few of the things that await visitors to the festival. The smallest citizens will like it more than others, so do not leave them at the hotel during the event.

Speaking about any Mexican city, it is impossible to ignore the most colorful holiday widely celebrated throughout the country. As you might guess, this is the Festival de Muertos, and its time is the beginning of November. The most important events take place in a town near Guadalajara with a rich ancient past - Tlalpan. At this time, its main square becomes a place where one can doubt that the 21st century has arrived - hundreds of costumed people with painted faces are everywhere, traditional rituals symbolizing sacrifice are performed, the central streets are decorated as if it is not Tlalpan but a mythical city. And, of course, all this helps not only get acquainted with the local culture and become part of the festival but also have plenty of fun. The only drawback is that the festival cannot last forever.