Fiestas

January
New Year's Day is celebrated everywhere. In Cruz Grande (Guerrero), on the coast road about 120km east of Acapulco, the start of a week-longferia. 2nd Tuesday Dfa de Jes6s Agonizante is marked in Colima (Colima) by a mass pilgrimage to a nearby hacienda. 26th In Tecoman (Col.), on the coast road, a colourful religious procession.

February
2nd Dfa de la Candelaria (Candlemas) celebrated in Colima (Col.) and Tecoman (Col.) with dances, processions and fireworks. Similar events in Zumpango del Rio (Gro.), on the road from Acapulco to Mexico, and particularly good dancing in Atzacualoya (Gro.), off this road near Chilpancingo. 5th Fiesta Brava - a day of bullfights and horse races - in Colima (Col.). Carnival (the week before Lent: variable February-March). Acapulco (Gro.) and Manzanillo (Col.) are both famous for the exuberance of their celebrations; rooms can be hard to find.

March
6th Local fiesta in Zumpango del Rio (Gro.) lasts through the night and into the following day - traditional dances. 10th Exuberant Fiest de San Patricio in San Patricio (Jal.) continues for a week. 19th Dfa de San Jose is the excuse for fiestas in Tierra Colorada (Gro.), between Acapulco and Chilpancingo, and San Jeronimo just outside Acapulco. Holy Week is widely observed: the Palm Sunday celebrations in Petatlan (Gro.), just south of Zihuatanejo, are particularly fervent.

May
3rd Dfa de Ia Santa Cruz. Saint's day festival in CruzGrande (Gro.). 5th The victorious battle of Cinco de Mayo commemorated - especially in Acapulco (Gro.). 8th In Mochitlan (Gro.), near Chilpancingo, the Festival de las Lluvias has pre-Christian roots: pilgrims, peasants and local dance groups climb a nearby volcano at night, arriving at the summit at dawn to pray for rain. Also a local fiesta in Azoyu (Gro.), just off the coast road south of Acapulco.
15th Dfa de San Isidro provokes a week-long festival in Acapulco. Celebrations too in San Luis Acatlan (Gro.), south along the coast, where you might see the rare Danza de la Tortuga (Dance of the Turtle), and in Tierra Colorada (Gro.). 31st Puerto Vallarta (Jal.) celebrates its Founder's Day.

June
1st Dfa de la Marina (Navy Day) in the ports, particularly Manzanillo and Acapulco. 13th Dfa de San Antonio. Aferia in Tierra Colorada (Gro.). 3rd Sunday. Blessing of the Animals at the church of Jesus Agonizante outside Colima (Col.).

July
25th At Coyuca da Benitez (Gro.), very near Acapulco, festival of the patron saint. A colourful fiesta too in Mochitlan (Gro.).

August
6th A fiesta in Petatlan (Gro.) distinguished by dances and a mock battle between Indians and Spaniards. 23rd Dia de San Bartolome'. In Tecpa'n de Galeana (Gro.), between Acapulco and Zihuatanejo, religious processions the preceding night are followed by dancing, music and fireworks.

September
l5th-l6th Independence Celebrations almost everywhere. 28th Dia de Santiago celebrated in several villages immediately around Acapulco (Gro.). 29th Dfa de San Miguel exuberantly exploited in Azoyu (Gro.) and Mochitlan (Gro.).

November
First week Colima's majorferia runs from the last days of October until November 8th. 2nd Day of the Dead is widely observed, with picturesque traditions in Atoyac de Alvarez (Gro.), just off the Acapulco-Zihuatanejo road.

December
12th Dia de Nuestra Seflora de Guadalupe, patroness of Mexico. In Atoyac de Alvarez (Gro.) and Ayutla (Gro.) there are religious processions and traditional dances, while Acapulco enjoys more secular celebrations. In Manzanillo (Col.) the celebrations start at the beginning of the month, while in Puerto Vallarta (Jal.) they continue to the end of it.