International Pasty Festival facts for kids

The International Pasty Festival (Spanish: Festival Internacional del Paste) is a fun event held every year. It celebrates the tasty pasty! This festival takes place in Real del Monte, Hidalgo, Mexico. It has been happening since 2009.

Pasties are like savory turnovers. They are called pastes in Mexico. Cornish miners brought them to this area in the 1800s. Many people who live there today are descendants of these miners. They still make pasties! While some follow old recipes, others use local ingredients. This yearly festival brings in thousands of visitors. People can also visit the Cornish Pasty Museum and enjoy other cultural events.

How the Pasty Festival Started

A shop in Real del Monte selling pastes

The area around Pachuca has a long history of mining. People used to mine for gold and silver there. But during the Mexican War of Independence (1810–21), many mines were damaged. They also filled with water.

In 1824, a group called the Real del Monte Company formed. They decided to bring mining tools and skilled miners from Cornwall, England. These miners traveled a long way. They landed on Mocambo beach near Veracruz. Then, they spent 14 months traveling 250 miles (400 km) through swamps and forests. Finally, they reached Real del Monte.

The Cornish miners brought their traditions with them. These included football, wrestling, and baking pasties. After the Mexican Revolution in 1911, fewer Cornish people lived there. But some Cornish family names are still around. You can also see European-style buildings. One example is Francis Rule's Methodist Church.

In 2008, the Cornish Mexican Cultural Society helped Real del Monte. They arranged for it to become a twin town with Redruth in Cornwall. This helped connect the two places.

Today, many places in Pachuca bake pasties. More shops started selling pasties as mining declined. People needed new ways to earn a living. A paste can have a classic filling. This might be meat, potato, and turnip. Sometimes, people add herbs or jalapeño. Other fillings include red or green mole, pineapple, or shredded pork. You can even find chicken in chili or fish!

Festival History and Growth

Pastes Kiko's, a popular paste chain in Pachuca, Mexico

The International Pasty Festival started in October 2009. It lasts for three days. The first festival was opened by María Oralia Vega Ortíz. She was the tourism secretary for Hidalgo. Richard Williams, from the Sociedad Cornish Mexicana, was also there.

Thirteen paste companies took part in the first festival. They sold their tasty snacks on the main streets. Some pasty fillings were quite unique. These included tongue, brain, sausage, beans, and yellow cheese. There were some small problems at first. For example, customs officials once stopped swedes. These vegetables were being imported for real pasties.

About 20,000 people visited the festival in October 2011. In November 2011, Real del Monte opened the world's first Cornish Pasty Museum. The town's Cornish Culture Council organized it. Before the museum opened, a group visited Cornwall. They learned about Cornish heritage. They also met with the Cornish Pasty Association.

The fourth "International Paste Festival" was held in October 2012. The government of Hidalgo state supported it. Visitors could see old archaeological sites. They could also explore mines and the English Cemetery. Eight companies that make pastes joined the festival.

In May 2013, Juan Renato Olivares visited Cornwall. He was Hidalgo's tourism minister. He wanted to invite people from Cornwall to visit Mexico. He said Mexicans are proud of their links to Cornwall. Many people there have Cornish last names.

In September 2013, Victor Aladro visited Heartlands Cornwall. He was part of a group from the Cornish Mexican Pasty Association. He received a Cornish Mining World Heritage Site sign. This sign was later shown at the festival. It celebrated the mining history.

In 2014, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Real del Monte. They went to the Pasty Museum. The royal couple even made pasties themselves!

The 7th Festival Internacional del Paste took place in October 2015. It was held in Real del Monte. The festival has become one of the biggest in the state. It helps promote tourism and food businesses. It also includes art and cultural shows. And, of course, it's a great chance to try local pastes!

See also

In Spanish: Festival Internacional del Paste para niños