First Melaque Festival Highlights

Folk Ballet from Cihuatlan

Colima State Music Band

Singer-songwriter Paco Padilla accompanied by talented musicians

Beach Volleyball tournament in Melaque beach

exhibition of artworks and sculptures by the international artists community

Visit the Official website of the festival: Festival Melaque

Mexican Christmas Traditions - Las Posadas in the barrio of Barra de Navidad

Barra de Navidad barrio church

One of the Mexican Christmas celebrations are "Las Posadas" and "Patorelas". The barrio in Barra de Navidad celebrates these beautiful traditions in the most authentic way thanks to a group of neighbors lead by Doña Petra.

children gather in the barrio church to walk in a parade to celebrate "la posada"

Enthusiastic children dressed up as Joseph, Mary, shepherds, angels and devils including "luzbel" (lucifer) gather in the church of the Barra de Navidad barrio where a mass is celebrated around 7:00 pm. for the first posada and a Rosary is prayed around 6:00 pm for the next ones. After the mass children and adults walk in a parade singing Mexican Christmas carols toward the street where "la posada" takes place.

All the attendants to the "posada" participate singing the verses of the reenactment of Joseph and Mary looking for lodging. A pinata that represent the evil or 7 sins (if it has seven cones) is broken by the children with a stick that represents the triumph of good over evil. The pinata is filled with fruits like pieces of sugar cane, mandarins, oranges, peanuts and candies.

An appetizer is served and children are given "bolos" bags with traditional Mexican Christmas candies and cookies and also fruits.

bolo given to children in a posada that contains mandarin, peanuts, sugar cane, mexican candies (colaciones) , tejocote

Posadas last for 9 days from Dec. 16th to Dec. 24th. and everybody is welcome to attend. So, if you are visiting Barra de Navidad or Melaque don't miss the opportunity to attend this nice tradition.

Traditional Mexican Posadas in the barrio "San Felipe de Jesus"

The barrio "San Felipe de Jesús" of Barra de Navidad is located along the "Nueva Espana" street. The church   is located in O. Indico and Ejidatarios streets.

Barra de Navidad Mapquest shows all the streets of Barra de Navidad including the barrio.

We invite you to read  Las Posadas and Nativity Scene post to learn what "posadas" are and other Mexican Christmas Traditions.


Schedule of  "posadas" in Barra de Navidad 2010.

mass for a "posada" at St. Philip of Jesus church in the barrio in Barra de Navidad.

First Festival del Mar Melaque 2010 inaugurated

The first Festival del Mar Melaque started today at the Main Square of San Patricio Melaque. The festival will be held from Dec. 15 to Dec. 19 and will have artistic and sport events.

For more information about the festival visit the website : Festival del Mar Melaque

Ballet Folklorico from Cihuatlan

Inauguration of the Festival del Mar Melaque 2010

Festival del Mar stage at Main Square of San Patricio Melaque

Mexican Christmas Celebrations - Posadas in Barra de Navidad

scene showing children breaking a piñata during a posada celebration.

Posadas is a 9 days celebration (Novenario de Las Posadas) that symbolizes the journey of Joseph and Mary to Belen and the problems they had to endure to find a place to stay (posada).


Read this post to know more about it: Las Posadas and Nativity Scene.


The schedule for the posadas 2010 in Barra de Navidad is as follow:

Posadas schedule 2010 in Barra de Navidad

Barra de Navidad is divided by sectors, colonias and barrios. 
Each posada starts at 7:30 pm with the Rosary followed by a Mass at 8:00 pm. Some posadas will included pastorelas. Ask the neighbors when the posada will be held in their sector as everybody is welcome to attend.


Wed. 15 Colonia San Ignacio and Colimilla
Thur. 16 Barrio San Felipe de Jesús. This will held in the San Felipe de Jesús Church.
Fri.    17 El Aguacate
Sat. 18   Colonia Infonavit-Brisas
Sun. 19  Sector 5 and Fraccionamiento Pueblo Nuevo
Mon 20 Sector 1 Barra de Navidad
Tue 21 Sector 2 Barra de Navidad
Wed 22 Sector 3 Barra de Navidad
Thu 23 Sector 4 Barra de Navidad
Fri. 24 Colonias: La Ejidal, Perlitas y Gallo Colorado

piñata with 7 cones that represent the 7 deadly sins

shepherd outfit for a Mexican pastorela

Virgen of Guadalupe Festivities in Barra de Navidad, Cihuatlan, Villa Obregon and Melaque

Fiestas Guadalupanas 2010 en Cihuatlán

Our Lady of Guadalupe (Virgen of Guadalupe) celebrations is one of the most important religious festivities in Mexico. The celebrations start in October 26th  and end on Dec. 12th.

Celebrations in Cihuatlan, Barra de Navidad, Villa Obregón and Melaque include novenas, rosaries, veladas, and on Dec. 12th. Danzas and Floats. A description of the meaning of each of these can be found in this post: Lady of Guadalupe - Rosaries, Altars, Novenas, Floats and Parade, Pilgrimages in Barra de Navidad, Villa Obregon, Melaque and Cihuatlan.

Calendar for 2010 Festivities:

Dec. 4th - Pilgrimage to the Holy Cross Church (Parroquia de la Santa Cruz) in Cihuatlan of people from Barra de Navidad, Melaque, Jaluco, Infonavit and El Aguacate. People of Barra de Navidad participating in this pilgrimage will gather at midnight. All the group will arrive to Cihuatlan for the celebration of the mass at 5:00 am on Dec. 5th.

The calendar for 2010 for the festivities on Dec 11th and 12th is as follow:

Barra de Navidad, El Aguacate, Barrio San Felipe, and Jaluco 

Oct. 28th - Dec. 12th. Praying of 46 Rosaries by groups in the different sectors and barrios.
Dec 11th. Vísperas de La Solemnidad de Santa María de Guadalupe:

Vísperas de la Solemnidad en El Aguacate, Barrio San Felipe, Jaluco y Barra de Navidad

Barra de Navidad Church:  (Barra de Navidad and Colimilla communities)

• 7:00 pm Mass Padre Marcelino
• 10:00 pm Mass Padre Miguel
• 11:00 pm - 12:00 am Mañanitas and music for the Virgen of Guadalupe.

Jaluco Church: (Jaluco and San Ignacio communities)

• 9:00 pm Mass Padre César
• 10:00 pm - 11:00 pm Mañanitas and music for the Virgen of Guadalupe.

Barrio San Felipe: (Barrio, Colonia Ejidal, Perlitas and Gallo Colorado communities)

• 7:00 pm-8:00 pm Blessing of Virgen of Guadalupe images, pilgrimage, mañanitas and musci for the Virgen of Guadalupe.

El Aguacate: (Colonia Infonavit, Brisas de La Navidad communities)

• 6:30 pm Rosarie and pilgrimage with Virgen of Guadalupe images and starts.
• 7:00 pm Mass Padre César.
• 8:15 - 9:15 pm Mañanitas and Mariachi music for the Virgen of Guadalupe.

Domingo 12 Solemnidad de Nuestra Madre del Cielo Santa María de Guadalupe 

Dec. 12th Solemnidad de Nuestra Madre del Cielo Santa María de Guadalupe.

Colonia Ejidal, El Aguacate and Jaluco

• 6:00 am Mass Padre César in Colonia Ejidal. Perlitas and Gallo Colorado communities.
• 7:00 am Mass Padre César in El Aguacate.
• 9:30 am Mass Padre César in El barrio San Felipe.
• 10:45 am Mass Padre Miguel  in Jaluco. Blessing of Roses and Images.
• 6:30 pm Pilgrimage in Jaluco with danzas, images and starts. from Bull fighting ring. 
• 7:00 pm Mass Padre Cesar. Blessing of Rosas and images.

Barra de Navidad

• 8:00 am Mass in Barra de Navidad Church with Padre Miguel
• 12:00 pm Mass with Padre Marcelino. Blessing of Roses.
• 6:30 pm Pilgrimage of the Barra de Navidad community with Danzas, Virgen of Guadalupe images and starts. The pilgrimage start by the football field in Nueva España ave. All the different sectors, barrios of Barra de Navidad join this pilgrimage. The community is invited to dress as inditos (Juan Diego outfit) and inditas for women.
• 7:00 pm Solemn Mass celebrated by Father Miguel. Blessing of roses e images. Donations for people in need can be brought to this celebration.

Cihuatlan
Dec 1st. - Dec 11th. Veladas, Pilgrimages and Rosaries.
Dec 12th

• 4:30 am Church Ringing Bells, pilgrimage and rosary in the Parroquia de la Santa Cruz
• 5:30 am Mañanitas and Mass.
• 8:30 am First Communion Mass
• 11:00 am Pilgrimage of the whole town
• 12:00 pm Solemn Mass by Bishop Gonzalo Galván Castillo
• 5:00 pm Floats and Danzas
• 8:00 pm Solemn Mass to the Virgin Mary, blessing of roses and images.
• At the end of the mass celebration in the main square with live music (Tamborazo Banda "El Cihualteco") and traditional Mexican fireworks: castillos and toritos.

Villa Obregon Solemn Fiestas to honor Virgin of Guadalupe

Villa Obregón and Melaque
The Virgen of Guadalupe is also the patron of Villa Obregon, so, these are also Fiestas Patronales and Melaque community join them.
Dec 1st. - Dec 12th.

• 5:30 am Rosary and Pilgrimage with the Virgen of Guadalupe image and Floats to the Villa Obregon church.
• 6:00 am Mañanitas and Mass
• 5:00 pm Pilgrimage
• 6:00 pm Mass. After the mass traditional Mexican fireworks: toritos and castillos.
• all night Veladas in Barrios.

Important Notes:
Dec. 4th. Pilgrimage of Children and Anointing of the Sick mass (misa de unción de enfermos) at 12:00 pm.
Dec. 12th Mass of the Rosaries at 12:00 pm.

Villa Obregon Church