| January 1 - Año Nuevo - New Year's Day 6 - Día de los Santos Reyes - Three King's Day - Mexicans typically exchange Christmas presents in celebration of the arrival of the three wise men. This day ends the Christmas Holidays. 17 - Feast Day of de San Antonio de Abad - St. Anthony's Day - A religious holiday during which the animals are blessed in church. 18-20 - Day of Santa Prisca - The Santa Prisca church in Taxco is the most elaborate in Mexico. In Taxco it is celebrated with a fair and dances. |
| February 2 - La Candelaria - Candlemas - A religious holiday celebrated with processions, dancing, bullfights, and the blessing of the seeds and candles. Best in San Juan de los Lagos, Jalapa; Talpa de Allende, Jalisco; and Santa Maria del Tuxla, Oaxaca. 5 - Día de la Constitución - Mexican Constitution Day 9 - R.I.S.E. 2008 Annual Fundraiser Begins at 5 PM. (Dates may vary from year to year) 14 - Día de la Amistad - Valentine's Day 23-28 - Carnaval - Begins a five day celebration the weekend before Lent, Celebrated with parades, floats and street dancing. The dates change yearly so check locally. 24 - Día de la Bandera - Mexican Flag Day - National holiday honoring the Mexican flag. 28 - Death of Cuauhtémoc - Celebrating the Aztec ruler of Tenochtitlan from 1520 to 1521. |
| March 17 - Día de San Patricio - St. Patrick's Day 18 - Día de la Expropriación Petrolera - Nationalization of the Petroleum Industry in Mexico 19 - St. Joseph's Day - Día de San José - A religious holiday. 21 - Natalicio de Benito Juarez - Birth of Benito Juarez - Mexican president and national hero, this is an official Mexican holiday. 21 - Primavera - Vernal Equinox |
| April Semana Santa - The holy week that ends the 40-day Lent period. Includes Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The Mexican custom is to break confetti-filled eggs over the heads of friends and family. 25- Feria de San Marcos - Saint Mark's Day - Famous centuries old fair held in Aguascalientes. Lasts about two weeks. Highlighting musicians, charros, and bullfights. 26 - Día de la Secretaria - Secretary's Day 30 - Día del Niño - Children's Day |
| May 1 - Primero de Mayo (Día del Trabajo) - Labor Day - Mexican national holiday honoring mans labor. 3 - Día de la Santa Cruz - Holy Cross Day - Construction workers decorate crosses on unfinished buildings, fireworks and picnics at construction sites 5 - Cinco de Mayo - Mexican national holiday that honors the Mexican victory over the French at Puebla de los Angeles in 1862. 10 - Día de la Madre - Mother's Day - A significant holiday in Mexico. 15 - Festival de San Isador - Feast of Saint Isador - Patron Saint of Farmers |
| June 1 - Dia de la Naval - Navy Day - An official Mexican holiday 17 - Dia del Padre - Father's Day 22 - Corpus Cristi - The Feast of Corpus Christi - Commemorates The Last Supper of Jesus Christ and his apostles. 22 - Summer Solstice - Longest day of year. 24 - San Juan Bautista - St. John the Baptist - Religious festivities, fairs, and popular jokes connected to getting dunked in water. Many Mexicans take a traditional swim at dawn. 29 - Dia de San Pedro y San Pablo - Saints Peter and Paul Day - Large celebrations in Mexcaltitán, Nayarit and Zaachila, Oaxaca. |
| July Lunes Del Cerro - Indians from the seven regions of Oaxaca state perform pre-Columbian dance, one of the most important Indian ceremonias in Mexico on the last two Mondays 4 - Nuestra Señora del Refugio - Our Lady of Refuge 18 - Death of Benito Juarez 25 - St. James Day - Celebrated in memory of St. James |
| August 15 - Feast of the Assumption - Major festivities take place in Huamantla. 24 - San Bartolomé Apostol - St. Bartholemew Apostle |
| September 1 -State of the Union Address by the Mexican President - The date may change. The President delivers the address in autumn. 15 - El Grito de Dolores - Cry of Independence (11 p.m.) 16 - Día de la Independencia - Independence Day - Celebrates the day that Miguel Hidalgo delivered El Grito de Dolores, and announced the Mexican revolt against Spanish rule. 23 - Atumnal Equinox 29 - Day of St. Michael (Patron Saint of Horsemen) - Fiestas, rodeos and fireworks in all towns having San Miguel as part of their names, especially in San Miguel de Allende. |
| October 1-31 - Guadalajaras Fiestas de Octubre - Guadalajara, Jalisco celebrates its annual festival. 4 - Day of St. Francis - All Mexico honors the Franciscan Order with dances,music, and fireworks. 12 - Día de la Raza - Columbus Day - Celebrates Columbus' arrival to the Americas, and the historical origins of the Mexican race. 31 - Halloween - (three days) - followed by All Saint's Day and then the Day of the Dead or the "Día de los Muertos". |
| November 1 - Dia de Todos Santos - All Saint's Day /All Soul's Day - An important Mexican holiday that merges Pre-Columbian beliefs and modern Catholicism. 2 - Day of the Dead - Día de los Muertos - celebrating the lives of the deceased, and the continuation of life. Death is the beginning of a new stage in life. 20 - Día de la Revolución - Revolution Day - An official Mexican holiday celebrating the Mexican Revolution of 1910. |
| December 1 - Day the new Mexican President assumes office (every 6th year) 8 - Day of the Immaculate Conception - Celebrated with feasts in honor of the day. 12 - Día de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe - Virgin of Guadalupe Day - Celebrated with a feast honoring Mexico's patron saint. 16 - Las Posadas - Christmas Posadas - Celebrates Joseph and Mary's search for shelter in Bethlehem with candlelight processions that end at nativity scenes. Las Posadas continues through January - 24 22 - Winter Solstice - Shortest day of year. 23 - Night of the Radishes - In Oaxaca, the city's main square is filled with booths set up to display huge, unusually shaped radishes. There are also fiestas and processions. 24 - Nochebuena - Christmas Eve 25 - Navidad - Christmas Day - Mexico celebrates the Christmas holiday 28 - Day of the Innocents - National holiday similar to April Fool's Day, celebrated with lots of practical jokes. 31 - Vispera de Año Nuevo - New Year's Eve |
