Fiestas of November

NOVEMBER HAS ARRIVED as the most anxiously awaited time for we Puerto folk, because we get to show off much of what makes this such a paradise for visitors.

Our beautiful beaches offer a world of leisure and sports activities, this month highlighted by our famous fall surf tournament and the return of the phenomenal International Sailfish Contest.

The Coast Festival of Dance is a major spectacle which showcases the rich cultural traditions of the diverse people of the coast of Oaxaca and the entire state. There'll be good food, good music, color excitement and fun.

Some come and participate: Get to know the fascinating culture, admire the beauty of the women of the coast, enjoy our sun and warm tropical waters.

Welcome to the Fiestas of November, 2006 and welcome to Puerto Escondido.

Sean Bienvenidos a este, su Puerto Escondido

- - Ing. Eugenio Vásquez Díaz
Agente Municipal

This Month in Puerto

Saturday 4
Mrs Emerald Coast Pageant
Selecting the cute mom, 25 to 45 years of age, who will - - see above.
9 p.m. City Hall Plaza

Sunday 5
Extreme Acrobatics
15 professional stunt riders show off their amazing skills executing spectacular maneuvers on their modified competition motorbikes
Noon, Motor Cross track, entrance to Puerto Angelito

Tuesday 7 - Mon 27
Arts & Crafts Fair
Puebla/Oaxaca
The rich artistic traditions of these two states will be on display for sale until the closing of this year's Fiesta at City Hall Plaza

Friday 10
Vela-Guetza
The word combines two of the best-known cultural traditions of the state: the Guelaguetza, which is a coming together of different ethnic groups to share their individual music and dances, as well as to bestow gifts from the harvests or locally made products. The Vela is the fiesta of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and this is region which will be explored during this night of fun, music, dancing and great food.

Attendees at a Vela always bring something; the women, favorite dishes to share; the men, cases of beer. (For your convenience, beer will be available at agency prices, to avoid the hassle of bottle deposit.) The event is free of charge. Don't miss this opportunity to enjoy the spectacular costumes, the warmth and joy, and the enduring cultural expression of the people of the Isthmus. (See also Nov. 30 - Dec 2)
6 p.m. Hotel Arcoiris, Zicatela Beach

Saturday 11
Hebert Rasgado
The singer-composer presents a night of folk, romantic and pop music.
8:30 p.m. the gardens of the Hotel Villa Sol, cover $75.00

Miss Puerto Escondido
To select the Queen of the November Fiestas, who will reign over the month's festivities along with Mrs. Emerald Coast and Miss Chiquitita.
9 p.m. City Hall Plaza

Saturday 11, Sun 12
Super Motor Cross
Don't miss the exciting spectacle of the 5th edition of dirt bike competition at the track located at the entrance to Puerto Angelito beach.

Saturday 11 begins with practice rounds from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Then beginning at 8 p.m., there will be a special night-time session of racing including Open and Freestyle categories encompassing all levels of expertise, age ranges and bike sizes. The evening culminates in the election of La Chica Cross, the Cross Girl who will lend her allure to the prize-giving ceremony on Sunday.

Sunday 12: action begins at noon and includes the Grand Championship Race of the Circuíto Azteca league.

Thursday 16
Cultural Program
Students from Colegio Calmecac present a traditional Calenda parade and a display of folkloric dance
6 p.m. City Hall Plaza

Friday 17 - Sun 20
PXM International Pro-AM Surf Tournament
The great fall classic returns with a line up of great surfing, plus live music, contests and beach parties into the night. See Rtickle
Playa Zicatela

Friday 17
Nippon-Kempo
International Martial Arts Exhibition
8 p.m. City Hall Plaza

Night of Danzón
The group Dinastía Danzonera from Guerrero presents a night of the romantic, elegant dance that originated in Cuba and took the country by storm in the early decades of the 20th century.
8:30 p.m. gardens of Hotel Villa Sol. entrada $75.00

Saturday 18
Tuning-Car Exhibition
Car and tunes fans show off their customized classic vehicles equipped with state of the art sound systems
9 p.m. City Hall Plaza

Saturday 18, Sun 19
13th Coast Festival of Dance
The Coast Festival of Dance is a showcase for the vigorous and enduring traditions of this area's cultural patchwork of Indigenous, European and African peoples. This year the scope of the festival will be much broader; the unfortunate cancelation of the Guelaguetza in Oaxaca is Puerto's gain: Many of the groups which were to participate will present their dances here instead. And the color and magic will take place at locations other than City Hall Plaza, with calendas, fireworks and dancing on the Adoquin, Zicatela and Bacocho.
See more.

Cock Fighting
The tournament begins at 8 p.m. at the palenque set up at the entrance to Puerto Angelito

Monday 20
Anniversary of the Mexican Revolution
November 20 marks the beginning of the Mexican Revolution and the end of the Porfiriato, the long autocratic rule of Porfirio Díaz, the Oaxacan native son and loyal lieutenant to Benito Juárez who assumed the presidency in 1876 and just didn't know when to give it up. Opposition leader Francisco Madero called for an uprising on November 20, 1910 to oust Díaz, who stole that year's election to take a seventh consecutive term as president.

Many heeded the call, Díaz was forced into exile and Madero become president. But the well-meaning, idealistic reformer was doomed to failure. His government was challenged by revolutionaries such as Emiliano Zapata who were impatient for real land reform and undermined by wealthy landowners and army officers loyal to the old regime.

U.S. Ambassador Lane Wilson played an ignominious role in these intrigues and plotted the coup that resulted in the murder of Madero and his vice-president Pino Suárez and the seizing of power by the odious Gen. Victoriano Huerta.

Opposition soon developed against the usurper. Venustiano Carranza, governor of the state of Coahuila, immediately rejected the legitimacy of the Huerta regime and took up the mantle of the Constitutionalist resistance. Years of chaos and bloody warfare ensued until the success of the Constitutionalists brought a measure of political stability to the country in 1917.

It's a national holiday. A parade to mark the 96th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution will leave the Benito Juárez Sports Stadium at 8 a.m. and make its way to the City Hall Plaza.

Tuesday 21
Tae Kwon Do
8 p.m. City Hall Plaza

Wednesday 22 - Fri 24
Knowledge Olympics
Students from the CONALEP colleges around the state engage in a battle of wits and will present sporting events during the day and cultural programs at night at the City Hall Plaza

Tuesday 22, Wed 23
Festival of Christ the King
Annual Fair in Puerto's Sector Reforma, section C.

Thursday 23
Meeting & Reception
to initiate the International Sailfish Tournament
7 p.m. Restaurant Junto al Mar

Friday 24 - Sun 26
Torneo Internacional de Pesca Deportiva
The main beach gets jammed for this popular contest, which always provides lots of entertainment for the non-fishers. See more.
7 a.m. Bahía Principal

Friday 24, Sun 26
Cultural & Sports Events
Students from the state's Tele-Bachilleres colleges will present a range of activities through the day
8 p.m. City Hall Plaza

Saturday 25
Dance & Rodeo
Jaripeo, competitive bull riding, followed by a dance featuring the nationally famous Banda Jerez, which fuses the Zacatecas drum heavy sounds with Sinaloa banda music. Also on the bill: la Canija Banda Amigos and el Sonido Tantra.
8 p.m. Monumental Plaza de Toros La Costeñita

Wu-Shu and Boxing
8 p.m. City Hall Plaza

Monday 27
Dance Party
to officially close out the Fiestas of November, 2006, fireworks and live music
8 p.m. City Hall Plaza

Thur 30 - Sat, Dec 2
Vela Istmeña
The Isthmus of Tehuantepec is one of the most fascinating of the Seven Regions of the state of Oaxaca. It has distinctive geography and a vibrant Zapotec cultural tradition. It is not surprising, then, that when Istmeños leave their region, they carry a bit of the Isthmus with them.

Istmeño residents of Puerto Escondido keep their traditions alive with this traditional fiesta (Vela) which features lively parades through the streets of town. But the main event is on Sat. Dec. 2 at the City Hall Plaza, where the Fiesta Queen will be crowned and regional specialties are served.

This is highly recommended, if only to marvel at the gorgeous costumes of these proud women from the Isthmus.
Thursday 30
Calenda the traditional parade to initiate a fiesta, with a brass band, the huge calenda puppets, rockets and colorful lanterns.
Friday Dec. 1
Convite. this parade includes colorful floats, from which the participants toss sweets and fruit to the onlookers.
Saturday 2
Gala Dance, crowning of the fiesta queen & ceremony to present next year's fiesta mayordomos, or patrons of the festival.

Wed 6 - Fri 8 Dec.
Fiesta of the Virgin of Juquila
Dec. 8 is the feast day for the Virgin of Juquila, whose sanctuaries nestle in the southern Sierra Madre Mountains in the town of Santa Catarina Juquila. Juquila is Oaxaca's Lourdes, a place that attracts believers from all over Mexico who make their pilgrimage to repay a blessing, to seek a cure for illness or to renew their faith.

At the beginning of this month thousands of faithful make their pilgrimage to this shrine on foot, bicycle, bus, truck, car and motorbike.

The town itself thrives on these visitors and is crammed with hotels and restaurants and store after store selling reliquary, statues and images of the doll-like icon on pendants, bottle openers, key chains and other souvenirs. The extreme commercialism of the Juquila phenomena is countered by the very obvious intensity of the faith, passion and joy manifested by the devotees who join the never-ending services in the town church and visit the nearby sanctuary of El Pedimento.

A crazy-quilt collage of cultural artifacts are deposited on the shrine here every day: bank notes, crutches, tiny representations of hearts, limbs, houses, cars, and other symbols representing hopes or thanks for health and prosperity.

The veneration of Our Lady of Juquila dates back to the early days of Christian evangelization in the 17th Century. The small statue of the Virgin is thought to be one of the first images carried through the area by Dominican missionaries, Among the communities that will host fiestas to honor Juquila this week are Puerto's Colonia Aeropuerto and Hidalgo Tutupec. (Fireworks and dancing on Wednesday 7th.)

Read This Month's Feature Articles:
13th Coast Festival of Dance
PXM International Pro-Am
International Sailfish Contest