This Month in Puerto

Saturday 11 - Tues 14
Annual Fair in El Tomatal
El Tomatal is located just 20 km from Puerto, on the coast highway towards Pochutla. The community is familiar to some of our regular visitors because of the women's collective which produces peanut butter and tehini, cream of sesame seeds, finding a way to market some of the principal agricultural products. They also founded the "Flor de Cacahuate" Cultural Center there and will play a major role in the fiesta to honor Tomatal's patron saint, San Felipe de Jesús.

Saturday 11 - Sat 18
"Chila 2006"
The St. Valentine's fiesta in Chila is one of the best on the coast. It offers all the traditional staples of the Oaxacan fiesta, but just a little bit more so.

Chila or Bajos de Chila, as it is officially known (bajos means lowlands; much of the town is actually below sea level), is surrounded by rich agricultural lands and boasts abundant sources of fresh water.

It gets its name from a famous curandera, or native healer, named Lucila, who once lived in the town. When People were sick they'd say "Vamos a Chila" - Let's go see Chila", a nickname for Lucila.

There are dances and cultural events, and on Monday, 14, Valentine's Day, there's the castillo, an amazing fireworks display, preceded by the mayhem of the running of the toritos.

Of special interest at the Chila Fair are the cock fights and the Pelota Mixteca (Mixtec Ball) tournament. Cock fighting is one of the popular spectacles of fiesta days and, although it's not for everybody, if you'd like to experience this aspect of local culture, the Chila tournament is one of the area's most prestigious and offers a family atmosphere rare in this normally macho domain.

Pelota Mixteca traces its roots back to the ceremonial ball playing that existed among all the pre-Colombian cultures. The game is played with a large 2 lb. natural-rubber ball. Teams of five to seven players pound the ball back and forth using heavy, elaborately decorated gloves. The ball can only bounce once. The winners team must take five sets of three games, each game consisting of four points. The grueling matches can last for as long as four hours.

Partial Schedule:

Tuesday 14
St. Valentine's Day
It's a big deal in Mexico, so much so that the entire month of February is referred to as "The Month of Love and Friendship". So you'll have ample opportunity to do something nice for your sweetie. Special menus and programs at many Puerto restaurants and hotels and it's also the big night in Chila.

"Puerto Blues 2006"
Rick Steeves
"Puerto Blues 2006", a festival featuring Canada's hottest blues and roots musicians, continues with the great showman, Rick Steeves, a consummate pro with 30 years of entertaining to his credit. Rick really rocks and will have everyone on their feet with his blues influenced rock and roll show.
8 p.m. (Opening band) Villa Belmar Beach Club, Playa Zicatela

Tuesday 14, Wed 15
Our Lady of the Cures
Santiago Jamiltepec
One of the important fiestas in this interesting and historic Mixtec market town and regional administrative center. According to the legend, the Virgen de los Remedios, whose image can be seen in Jamiltepec's handsome Dominican church, appeared to some iguana hunters in a geyser rising from the nearby hot springs, which are still today considered to have curative powers, hence the name given to this saint. (See more on Jamiltepec)

Thursday 16, Sat 18
"Puerto Blues 2006"
Rick Steeves
See Tuesday 14

Saturday 19
Army Day
Established in 1950, this is the anniversary of the formation of a national army by Venustiano Carranza in 1913.

Friday 24
Flag Day
There have been many versions of the familiar tricolor, first adopted in 1821, each color representing one of the principals of the first constitution of the young Mexican Republic.

Saturday 25
Julio García
The singer-guitarist from Oaxaca City presents a night of romantic music and folk.
7:30 p.m. Beach Club "Playa Sol" at the Villa Sol Hotel, $30.00

Saturday 25 - Mon 27
Founders' Day
Santa María Colotepec
Feb. 27 marks this neighboring town's 292nd anniversary as an independent county (municipio).

Anniversary Program:

Saturday 25 - Tues 28
Carnaval de la Costa
Puerto Escondido 2006
Don't worry, be happy! It's the big blow out before the 40 days of Lent. Parades, floats, costumes and dancing in the street. How bad can that be?
More on Carnaval

Carnaval Program:

Tuesday 28
Puerto Blues 2006
Jack de Keyzer
Has the Blues Fest been saving the best for last? If so this show should be phenomenal! A national award winner and internationally acclaimed guitarist/singer/songwriter, Jack is a blues legend.
7:30 p.m. Villa Belmar Beach Club, Playa Zicatela

Wednesday March 1
Ash Wednesday
The beginning of Lent. The faithful attend a special mass to receive the mark of ashes on their foreheads.

Thursday March 2
Puerto Blues 2006
Jack de Keyzer
Closing event of this year's festival and not to be missed.

Saturday March 4
Joan Sebastian
Now this is really a big deal. Joan Sebastian is a huge star, not only in Mexico but around the world. Known as the King of the Rodeo music, his music is a mixture of Latin pop, ranchera and grupera music. He has also appeared on television in the Spanish soap opera Tú y Yo (You and I). Sebastian is known in Mexico as El Poeta del Pueblo (the People's Poet).

Born José Manuel Figueroa, in Juliantla Guerrero, his artistic inclinations led him to enter a seminary. But he thought better of it and left at age 17 to pursue a career in music, The rest, as they say is artistic history. He has won umpteen awards including Grammys for work such as his biggest hit, the brilliantly orchestrated Secreto de Amor. His rodeo show is quite a spectacle with full mariachi band, dancers, top-notch rodeos riders, fierce bulls, a ton of sound equipment lights and special effects.
Plaza de Toros La Costeñita.

Wednesday March 8
International Women's Day

Friday 17
St. Patrick's Day
Last month we had the blues. Now it's time to break out the green.

Thurs 17 - Sat 19
Fiesta of Saint Joseph
Countless towns and neighborhoods are named for San José the great patriarch, Joseph, husband of Mary and father of Jesus. His feast day, March 19 is also Day of the Carpenter, for obvious reasons. Among the nearby towns celebrating this month are San José Manialtepec, San José del Progreso and San José del Pacífico.

Read This Month's Feature Articles:
Carnaval
The Mixtec