EVENTS

Mexico abroad

THRU-APR 3: EXHIBITION: HERITAGE OF POWER: ANCIENT SCULPTURE FROM WEST MEXICO - Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. Forty works of ceramics will be on display from the three major west Mexican regions—Colima, Jalisco and Nayarit—and represent the primary style groups of Comala, Ameca-Ezatlan and Ixtlan del Rio. Heroes, houses and ancestor pairs are rendered in three dimensions to give visual substance to prominent members of society and their significant activities on behalf of community and family, as well as to honor their forebears. Placed in major tombs, the sculptures commemorate the high social position, personal power and wealth of the deceased. The sculptures date between 300 B.C. and 400 A.D. and include depictions of birds and animals. www.metmuseum.org.

JUN 2-9: FIRST CONTEMPORARY MEXICAN FILM WEEK (Primera Semana de Cine Mexicano Contemporaneo)—Houston. Mexican films and filmmakers are taking the movie world by storm, garnering awards at every major film festival from Sundance to Cannes. The First Contemporary Mexican Film Week will showcase nine of the best contemporary Mexican films in a tour hitting several cities throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Latin America. Seven full-length, award-winning feature films and two documentaries will be showcased at the festival, as well as press conferences, workshops and post-viewing Q&A sessions.

JUN 16-23: FIRST CONTEMPORARY MEXICAN FILM WEEK (Primera Semana de Cine Mexicano Contemporaneo)—Montreal. The tour continues to Canada, making its first stop in Montreal. The First Contemporary Mexican Film Week will showcase nine of the best contemporary Mexican films. Seven full-length, award-winning feature films and two documentaries will be showcased at the festival, as well as press conferences, workshops and post-viewing Q&A sessions.
JUL 5-13: FIRST CONTEMPORARY MEXICAN FILM WEEK (Primera Semana de Cine Mexicano Contemporaneo)—Toronto.

AUG 1-7: FIRST CONTEMPORARY MEXICAN FILM WEEK (Primera Semana de Cine Mexicano Contemporaneo)—Vancouver.

JUN 18: MARIACHI FESTIVAL—Los Angeles, California. Five hours of non-stop mariachi music will take place on Saturday, June 18, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California. Following the music will be a spectacular fireworks extravaganza. Five mariachi bands will perform and special guests include: Jose Feliciano and Los Panchos. Tickets can be obtained by calling 1-800-MARIACHI or visiting www.mariachiusa.com.

TBD: MEXICAN CULINARY EXHIBIT-New York City. Details to come.

June 13-September 10, 2006: EXHIBITION: Treasures of Sacred Maya Kings - Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Exhibition Hall, 2nd floor.

Early in the first millennium A.D., Maya kings elaborated on an inherited tradition for interacting with supernatural powers by portraying themselves in the roles and costumes of divinities. Using specific symbolic attributes and performing conjuring rituals evoking deities and deified ancestors, the kings of city-states such as Calakmul in Mexico, Tikal in Guatemala, and Copan in Honduras rendered themselves divine. The paired natural forces of the earth and sun—the earth in the guise of the ancient Maize God and the sun in the newly important Sun God—were incorporated into the power and person of the kings. Exhibited works include items of kingly regalia, objects that depict their real and mythic actions, and works that were part of these activities. The pieces range from large-scale relief sculpture in stone, to ceramic vessels of distinctive shape, to objects of carved jade, shell, bone, and pearl.
Accompanied by a catalogue.

The exhibition was organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
The national tour is sponsored by Televisa.
The exhibition was made possible in part by a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Additional support was provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.

MAR 13- APR 10: Live at the Blue Mamou, Juce Garcia –Zihuatanejo, Gro. Juce is back!
Juce Garcia, blues diva extaordinaria, is back in Zihua and she is belting out tunes like nobody’s business at Blue Mamou until April 10. If you missed her in November, here’s your chance to get to know one of the sweetest women in the blues (or any other) world. She’s exciting, she’s versatile, she is La Bomba! The little gal with the big voice sings nightly from 9 to 12 p.m. Click here to sample her recent recordings: www.jucegarcia.com

APR 1: April Fools & Message Board Party at the Blue Mamou, –Zihuatanejo, Gro. Put on your high-heeled sneakers, your wig hat, your flowered shirt and striped shorts and get foolish at the Blue Mamou 2nd annual April Fool’s Party. There will be a contest and prize for worst-dressed participant, so dust off the cabana wear, mix/match and flaunt it, baby! Zihuatanejo message board regulars have coincidentally organized an April 1 get-together (name tags optional). Join the party and get to know your fellow Z/I-lovers.

APR 3-7: International Guitar Festival of Morelia (Festival Internacional de Guitarra de Morelia)--Morelia, Michoacan. Michoacan, with its rich musical traditions and home to one of the oldest conservatories in Latin America, is the perfect host for this popular guitar festival. The program features recitals, contests, conferences, seminars and expositions, with local as well as international artists participating from Venezuela, Chile, Germany, Spain, Argentina, Cuba and the Czech Republic. For more information, please visit: www.figmorelia.com

APR 9-16: Sardine Fishing Ritual (Pesca de la Sardina)--Tacotalpa, Tabasco. In the picturesque village of Tapijulapa, an enchanting cavern known as the Cave of the Sardines (Cueva de la Sardina) is the site of an annual religious ritual with prehispanic roots. The ritual involves fishing for sardines for the purpose of imploring Mother Nature to bring sufficient rain for the crops. The more sardines caught during the ceremony, the better the harvest will be. Cultural festivities are celebrated prior to the ritual, starting on March 13 to the 19.

APR 9-16: Holy Week (Semana Santa)--Nationwide. Beginning with Palm Sunday and ending with Easter Sunday, the week's religious celebrations include reenactments of the events leading up to Christ's crucifixion. The most renowned celebrations are held in Mexico City, Patzcuaro, San Luis Potosi, Zacatecas, San Cristobal de las Casas and Taxco.

APR 15-MAY 13: San Marcos Fair (Feria de San Marcos)--Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes State. A colorful three-week festival featuring handicrafts, bullfights, folk dancing, games, cockfights, fireworks, cultural events and local cuisine. The National Poetry Prize and a traditional competition of typical dress also take place during this international celebration.

APR 7-16: Cultural Festival of Zacatecas (Festival Cultural de Zacatecas)--Zacatecas, Zacatecas State. This festival features displays of literature, dance, theater, music and art in several venues throughout Zacatecas State. http:// www.zacatecas.gob.mx/agendacultural05.htm

APR 8-15: Polo Tournament “Gran Copa Agua Alta” Costa Careyes, Puerto Vallarta, JaliscoCosta Careyes is located 2 and a half hours south of Puerto Vallarta and a little more than an hour north of Manzanillo International Airport on the Mexican Pacific Coast, on the famous Costalegre. For more information about this event, please visit: http://www.mexicopolo.com/

APR 20-30: Newport Beach Film Festival, Rosarito Baja California Norte. Each Spring, Newport Beach rolls out the red carpet during its annual Film Festival showcasing hundreds of features, short films, documentaries and animation movies from around the world. In addition to film screenings, the festival includes several galas and yacht parties, as well as offers the rare opportunity to interact with directors and screenwriters during question and answer sessions that provide an inside look into the film industry. www.NewportBeachFilmFest.com

APR 28-30: 59th Annual Newport Beach to Ensenada International Yacht Race--Ensenada, Baja California. Yachting competition originating in Newport Beach, California to Ensenada with more than 50 participating yachts, featuring a festival and ceremony upon their arrival in Ensenada.

TBD: Xalapa Fair (Feria de Xalapa)--Xalapa, Veracruz. Referred to as the Athens of Veracruz, the capital city of Xalapa is bursting with culture. The Xalapa fair dates back to the 18th century and offers a variety of artworks, handicrafts and unique products from the region at excellent prices. The fair features activities for all ages.

APR 28-MAY 14: Tabasco Fair 2006 (Feria de Tabasco 2006) --Parque Villahermosa, Tabasco. Famous for its Olmec artifacts, Villahermosa Park hosts this colorful state fair where 17 counties share their best in cuisine, arts and crafts. Visitors can also enjoy the colorful boat parade over the Grijalva River and the outdoor theater in the evenings where plays are presented by each county. From April 28 to May 14, some prior festivities take place such as beauty contestants, street band performances and car and boats parades. www.tabasco.gob.mx

APR 22: Rosarito-Ensenada Fun Ride, Rosarito Beach, Baja California. Head south of the border with 10,000 of your closest amigos for this fun ride along the Pacific Coast and inland through rural countryside from Rosarito Beach to Ensenada, Mexico. The event course is 50 miles of paved highway on the old Free Road from Rosarito Beach south to the city of Ensenada. Avid cyclists should finish in two hours, with the average time to complete being 4 1/2 hours. www.rosaritoensenada.com