Fireworks displays are at the epicenter of polarizing conversations among those passing through or planting roots in San Miguel de Allende. “But, why must they do it at such odd hours?” many newcomers wonder, voicing their exhaustion from being kept up by the earth-shattering nightly blasts. The simplest answer? It’s a tradition.
Never does this cultural patrimony ring louder or feel more ubiquitously explosive than during La Alborada, or “The Dawn,” San Miguel’s annual citywide festival honoring collective faith in the triumph of good over evil. Kicked off with a boisterous cascade of rocket-like illuminations at daybreak, the multi-day merriment will spill into nearly every street from Oct. 3-12 this year.
What to expect for this year’s festival
Flanked by a sea of massive paper stars, this year’s 101st iteration of the event honoring San Miguel de Allende’s patron saint begins on the eve of Friday, October 3, with drummers and dancers leading lively parades. The modern-day presentations of La Fábrica la Aurora factory workers’ visions of devotion from the 1920s will then transform into a sparkling spectacle that extends beyond downtown into El Teatro del Pueblo, the refurbished site of the county fair.
Local families will get priority access to the Feria before 7:30 p.m. As San Miguel de Allende Mayor Mauricio Trejo expressed at the Feria’s opening ceremony, “The fair is for San Miguel de Allende, although all of Guanajuato is invited. To enter, they must present a valid voter or student ID, driver’s license or any other document that proves they reside in San Miguel de Allende. After that time, people from the rest of the state will be admitted,” Trejo told the crowd, an unprecedented turnout of 55,000 fairgoers at the Feria’s 2025 inaugural event.
So grab your earplugs and prepare for nine days of uninhibited entertainment, profoundly immersive cultural exhibitions and unmissable star-studded concerts!
100 Mariachis
If the town square, El Jardín Allende, had to be summed up in a single sound, it would be the jubilant clash of its “warring” mariachis, racing nightly to be the first to fulfill song requests from lovers, travelers, and partygoers, hoping to collect a few hundred pesos in exchange for their briefly wondrous, on-demand concerts. It’s rather fitting then that these bands will pause their civil rivalries during the festival known for rejoicing in the vanquish of evil (Lucifer), by the city’s namesake, San Miguel Arcángel. On Wednesday evening, as the excitement for La Alborada rises palpably, approximately 100 charro-suited musicians will serenade the masses of revelers gathered for one night of fine-tuned folkloric harmony. Free of charge; no tickets required.
Date: Oct. 1, 7 p.m.
Location: Jardín Principal
Cost: Free of charge
Edén Muñoz at the Feria
This year, the Feria is welcoming an impressive lineup of top-tier musical acts. On Thursday, Edén Muñoz, who set the record for the most songs for a regional Mexican band or solo artist to have reached the top spot on the Billboard charts, Gloria Trevi (who headlined the inaugural concert on September 20). The year’s most anticipated celebration of culture and entertainment kicked off with a passionate speech from Mayor Trejo, calling on his fellow Miguelenses to come “raspar la bota” (scrape the boot) at the family fair. With a modest entry fee of 25 pesos, the feria offers free rides and games once you’re inside, hoping to instill an ambiance of inclusion, diversity, and unbridled fun.
Date: Oct 2, 9:00 p.m.
Location: Teatro del Pueblo
Cost: 25 pesos
San Miguel de Allende’s annual La Alborada festival has been going strong for 101 years. (El Vergel)
A light show that appears to shower from the heavens will begin at 4:00 a.m. on Oct. 4, followed by an Xúchiles procession later in the afternoon, whose Indigenous Chichimeca origins pay homage to fallen ancestors. Floral and cacti offerings towering nearly one and a half stories high will be made as the steps of pre-Hispanic dances are stamped into cobblestones. The festivities extend through mid-October, culminating with the iconic El Paseo de San Miguel, during which the archangel’s images are carried throughout the city’s numerous temple sites.
For those who wish to join in celebrating more than 100 years of piousness-turned-party like the locals do, the 2025 edition of La Alborada will spark curiosity, shedding light on how the Miguelenses and their customs have shaped this UNESCO World Heritage Site’s lasting legacy.
Date: Oct. 4
Location: Jardín Principal and citywide
Cost: Free of charge
Los Ángeles Azules at the Feria
As millennials and Gen X get swept up in the nostalgia of classic hits like “Como Te Voy a Olvidar” and “Nunca es suficiente,” featuring the inimitable Natalia Lafourçade, these living legends will carry the torch of their romantic rancheras to the next generation. Bring on the accordions, the synthesizers, the five-part harmonies and the electro-cumbia fusion. San Miguel Arcángel is patiently waiting to be reunited with the living at this celestial fiesta.
Date: Oct. 4, 9 p.m.
Location: Teatro del Pueblo
Cost: 25 pesos
Simone Jacobson is a Burmese American cultural connector, toddler twin mama and writer based in San Miguel de Allende. By day, she is the Content Director for Well Spirit Collective. In all other moments, she strives to raise compassionate children who never lose their curiosity, tenderness and radiant light. Read more by Simone here.
