The beautiful and picturesque colonial city of Taxco features several silversmith workshops; since silver represents the origin, development, and peak of Taxco, this village is the ideal place to shop for this kind of jewelry as well as crafts made of this shiny metal. Also, you can admire the Santa Prisca Parish Church, which dates from the eighteenth century and is the religious symbol that identifies this city, emphasizing the devotion and the deeply-rooted traditions of the local people.
FESTIVE CALENDAR HOLIDAYS
JANUARY
18 Santa Prisca y St. Sebastian Day
On this day there is a mass at Santa Prisca followed by lots of fireworks, a great castillo in the zócalo, followed by the infamous toritos. You'll also see the wonderful mojigangas-- young men dressed up as women parading through town wearing outrageous make up and costumes.
20 St. Sebastian's Day
This is the day for a celebration for the patron saint of the Taxco.
FEBRUARY
5 Anniversary of the Constitution
Parades of the local military with bands of musicians pretty much sums up the celebration.
14 St. Valentine's day
Here known as Día de l'Amistad or Día de Novios, Valentine's Day is celebrated much in the same way the world over.
24 Flag day or Día de la Bandera
Flags of all sizes decorate the town. Parades and fireworks complete the celebration.
Variable
Ash Wednesday or Miercoles de Ceniza
MARCH
2-3 Celebration at Iglesia Chavarietta
Beginning with a mass, later in the day the celebration continues as people of the neighborhood and those from San Mateo bring food as gifts for people at the fiesta. The dinner is followed by a dance with live music, a castillo and ends with the toritos.
18 Expropriation of Petroleum Day
20 Spring
The beginning of spring is heralded throughout the town with parades of children in costume.
Variable
Easter Week or Semana Santa
This week-long dreadful event makes being in Taxco an unattractive proposition during Easter.
APRIL
30 Day of the Child
In schools and homes there are parties for children and small gifts.
Variable
Palm Sunday or Domingo de Ramos
People from Tehuilotepec bring their St. Ramos statue from Tehui to Taxco on a burro with lots of people and palms, first stopping at Ex Convento for a mass and then passing on to Santa Prisca for another mass.
Easter Sunday
MAY
1 Day of the workers or Día de Trabajo
Much like the American Labor Day, it is celebrated by taking a day off.
5 Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla or Batalla de Puebla
10 Mother's Day or Día de las Madres
Flowers will be relatively expensive this week! This is a family day.
15 Teacher's Day or Día del Maestro
Children bring small gifts to their teachers on this special day.
JUNE
14 Father's Day or Día del Padre
This special day is celebrated with gifts for fathers and family parties with music.
JULY
Variable
International Guitar Festival and Competition
This is a week long event with concerts scheduled every day with performers from many countries.
AUGUST
6 Día del Padre
This is a day set aside for God, the father. It is a major celebration with bands, fireworks, and castillos at Ex Convento. It is wonderful! A great band arrives at 7:00 A.M. and plays with gusto until 11 or 12 P.M.. Their castillo is one of the best of the year, followed by toritos.
SEPTEMBER
16 1810 Independence Day
Military parades, fireworks and flags signal this celebration. In the zócalo there is a reenactment of the fight.
20 Día de San Miguelito
Celebrated at San Miguel, there are sweet breads and corn, fireworks, a castillo and toritos all accompanied by live music.
OCTOBER
12 Día de la Raza
This is an occasion for the ubiquitous parades of school children and the military.
24 United Nations Day
This day of peace in the world is celebrated with a procession of the town's preschoolers all dressed in costumes of the world's countries.
30 On this day townspeople clean up family graves at the Panteón.
To see a Pictorial of the United Nations Day parade of preschoolers just click Here!
OCTOBER 31 Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos – for the children who have died
These days are very special and town is almost empty as everyone is preparing their loved ones' graves with flowers and candles and gifts of food. It is one of the quietest times of the year in town.
To see more pictures of the Day of the Dead Holiday just click Here!
NOVEMBER
1 All Saints Day or Todos los Santos – for the adults who have died
2 Fieles Difuntos
20 Revolution Day
The celebration of the revolution of 1917 includes parades, fireworks, and sometimes a castillo.
Variable
First Monday in November is Jumil day at Huisteco Park
This is a most special and local event as traditionalists wend their way up to the mountain park of Huisteco. There they camp or visit with each other and collect the local bug called jumil. It is a beetle full of iodine used in making a delicious salsa. Though collecting and dining on jumiles probably dates back to Aztec times, this now very traditional holiday dates from the 1940's.
Silver Fair
Every year there is a small competition of silver designers accompanied by visiting musical bands and singers, fireworks displays and more. Business continues as usual in the town, but each evening there are events in the zócalo.
DECEMBER
1 and ongoing until Christmas
Posadas begin as groups of friends and relatives bring Mary and Joseph to each house to ask for a place to stay. They are rewarded with punch and piñatas.
12 Guadalupe Day
This is a major holiday in Taxco celebrated in the Guadalupe neighborhood with special foods like turkey mole, a castillo de muñecas in the afternoon and a castillo with fireworks at night. Little boys and girls wear charming costumes of the revolution.
24 Christmas Eve or Noche Buena
This is a family event typically celebrated with turkey for dinner.
25 Christmas Day
31 New Year's Eve
