As a town full of traditions and customs, San Miguel de Allende is well known for its typical festivals, the most representative of which is “La Alborada”, a special celebration on the occasion of the Patron Saint Day of the Villa de San Miguel, that is, San Miguel Arcángel. Every year, during the weekend following September 29, the people of San Miguel gather to celebrate with lots of dancing, music, stars, mojigangas and a great fireworks show. That same afternoon, the traditional dances that come from all over Mexico to honor the entrance of Ánimas continue: Xúchiles, Dances and Allegorical Cars, with a route that begins at Calzada de la Estación, continues along Canal Street, Portal Allende and concludes at Correo, right in the Parish of San Miguel Arcángel. Or at least that was the case until 2019 when the pandemic surprised us.
A tradition that endures
“La Alborada” is a representation of the fight between the Archangel Saint Michael and Lucifer, in a pitched fireworks battle lasting just over an hour, representing both sides, that of light and that of darkness.Groups of people from the colonies of Valle del Maíz, La Aurora and La Estación, bring with them enormous colored stars made with tissue paper that evoke the Virgin of Light, who was venerated since 1930 by those who worked in the La Aurora textile factory, and they carry candles inside because they illuminated the processions in times when there was still no electric light. This main spectacle takes place in El Jardín, where hundreds of people gather to watch it and 'cheer' San Miguel, with music, street food, a few drinks and lots of fireworks, to obtain blessings throughout the year.
Until 2019, everything happened at 4:00 sharp, so from a few hours before midnight you could already feel people in high spirits and with every intention of celebrating and experiencing this festival. Rivers and rivers of people from all over the world met in the streets of the center, to browse, have dinner, while waiting for the committee of the Neighborhoods to take thousands of photos and, if you were brave, stay in the middle of the Garden to avoid the fireworks. Locals and tourists alike took home a great memory of the occasion and waited knowing that it would not be repeated until the following year.
“The Dawn” 2021
As we all know, the world, Mexico and San Miguel are not yet in a position to celebrate massive events such as “La Alborada” and the traditional festivities dedicated to San Miguel Arcángel, so we consulted with the Tourism office about whether it will happen this year, to which they responded that yes but it will be the same dynamic as last year: September 29, 4:00 am, in a closed circuit (the first square of the city will be closed) with the participation of the committees of the Traditionalist Neighborhoods, with a live broadcast through the official Facebook page. Follow @TurismoSMA also on Instagram to find out what you can do safely in the village during your stay.
