More from the Alebrije Parade

 Here are some more photos and videos from Saturday's Alebrije Parade...

Although it was at times frustrating to try to take pictures of the parade, the alebrijes will be on display along the Paseo de la Reforma until November 3rd, and photography will be easier.

The Parade of Alebrijes

Yesterday Alejandro and I went to the 17th Parade of Monumental Alebrijes sponsored by the Museum of Popular Art.

Unlike the Day of the Dead Parade which draws more than one million spectators, the crowd for the Alebrije Parade is more manageable.  The parade was scheduled to leave the Zócalo at noon, and at 11:45 we were still able to find a "front row" position along the parade route on Juárez Avenue.

Let me get the negative comments out of the way first.  Like many similar events in Mexico, it is a rather chaotic affair, and for someone who wants to take photographs, it can be quite frustrating.  The members of the organizations that have created the large, papier mache figures as well as their families march alongside the alebrijes.  It is perfectly understandable that they want to be in the parade, but sometimes they completely surrounded the figures, making it hard to see them.  Also, we made the mistake of standing near an intersection.  In between every alebrije, people would cross the street.  There were professional photographers standing in the way, and food vendors wheeling their carts and blocking the view.  I was really irritated when a woman behind us, not once, not twice, but three times cut through the crowd, went into the street, and had her picture taken in front of an alebrije.  I was really tempted to tell her, "We all want to take pictures, but not of you!"

In spite of the annoyances, it is a fun event.  Out of the large number of photos and videos I took, there were quite a few that were decent.

So here is a look at the Alebrije Parade...

  

More to come of the Alebrije Parade.

Upcoming Events

I returned from Ohio in time for the events leading up to the Day of the Dead.  Later today Alejandro and I will attend the Parade of Monumental Alebrijes which kicks off this festive season.  If you are a long-time reader of this blog, you already know about this parade which is sponsored each October by the Museum of Popular Arts.   The "alebrijes" are colorful, fantastical animals made of papier mache.  This year there are 188 entries.  The large creatures will be wheeled down the streets from the Zócalo to the Paseo de la Reforma.  Last year I was unable to see the parade because I was in the process of selling my house in Ohio and making the permanent move to Mexico.  After the parade, the "alebrijes" are displayed along the Paseo de la Reforma until the Day of the Dead, so I was at least able to see them.

One of last year's "alebrijes"

  

The next weekend, the Procession of the Catrinas will be held.  Again, regular readers know that "catrinas" (and the male equivalent, "catrines") are elegantly dressed skeletons.  Hundreds, if not thousands, of people, have their faces painted like skeletons and wear elaborate costumes to participate in the procession.  I don't know if we will watch the actual parade or just go down to the Paseo de la Reforma ahead of time to see the participants as they gather for the event.  That's what we did two years ago, and I think we got better photos that way.  (Of course they were all happy to pose for pictures.)

The big event is the Day of the Dead Parade.  The city government still has not announced the date.  Since the Day of the Dead falls on a Saturday this year, everyone is assuming that it will be held on that day.  But we can't be certain until there is an official announcement.  Last year they fooled everyone by holding the parade on the Saturday AFTER Day of the Dead, which certainly must have angered many out-of-town visitors who thought that it would be held the Saturday before.  The Day of the Dead events generate a lot of tourist revenue for the city, and the government is very remiss in not announcing the date far in advance.