Feria Nacional de San Marcos facts for kids
The Feria Nacional de San Marcos (which means National Fair of Saint Mark) is a huge national fair. It takes place every year in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes. The fair lasts for about three or four weeks. Most of the fun happens in the city of Aguascalientes, which is the state capital. The fair's exact start date changes each year. However, it is always close to April 25. This date is the Feast Day of Saint Mark.
Long ago, the fair was linked to the vendimia, which means the grape harvest. This is because making wine was very important in Aguascalientes. Today, it is a major attraction for tourists. It is well-known for its bullfighting and cockfighting events. Around seven million people visit the fair each year. Because of this, hotels are often completely full. Some local people even rent out their homes to visitors. They go on vacation during the fair.
What to Do at the Fair
The San Marcos National Fair is put together by a special group. This group manages all the fair's activities. The state and city governments of Aguascalientes also help support the fair.
The fair offers many different things to do. Bullfighting and cockfighting are two of the most popular activities. After a series of cockfights, a famous Mexican singer often performs a concert. This concert usually gets more attention than the fights themselves.
Inside the main fair area, you can find many sponsored booths. There are also fun mechanical rides and games. Stages host various concerts and theater plays. The livestock fair, where animals are shown, is still a big part of the celebration. Charreadas, which are like Mexican rodeos, are also important events. Parties with traditional Mexican music, called tamboras, happen on the streets of Aguascalientes. There is also a special casino licensed just for the fair. It is located in downtown Aguascalientes.
Many other events happen around the state during the fair. These include concerts, art shows, and other cultural activities. The National Award for Youth Art ceremony also takes place in Aguascalientes at this time.
History of the San Marcos Fair
The fair first began around harvest time. This was from November 5 to November 20, 1828. It was a way to show off the state's farm products and animals. Back then, it competed with other fairs. These included fairs in Acapulco, Jalapa, and San Juan de los Lagos.
The early celebrations were held in the Parián. This was a market in the city of Aguascalientes. This continued until 1848. In 1842, the beautiful outer fence of San Marcos Park was built. The land for the park was given by the Catholic Church. The fence is in a Neoclassical style. It is still standing today. Once San Marcos Park was finished, the fair's date changed to April. This was to match the celebrations for the patron saint, San Marcos.
Construction of the San Marcos Plaza bullring started in 1896. It was built very quickly, in just 48 days. From that time on, bullfighting became part of the fair. A much larger bullring, the Monumental Plaza de San Marcos, was built later in 1992. It can hold fifteen thousand people.
Since 1924, the winner of the beauty pageant has been crowned "Queen of the Fair". In 2006, something unusual happened. After some arguments about the election, three queens were chosen.
In 1958, the fair was given the title "National" by President Adolfo López Mateos. This made it even more important.
On April 26, 2009, the fair was canceled. This was because of the pandemic flu (H1N1) that was affecting parts of Mexico. It was the first time in 181 years that the fair had been canceled. On July 2, 2020, the fair was canceled again. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Five months later, on January 21, 2021, it was announced that the fair would be canceled for a second year in a row.
