EVENTS

Mexico abroad

MEXICO EXHIBITS ITS WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN THE UNITED NATIONS
The Mexico Tourism Board-sponsored photographic exhibition of Mexico’s celebrated UNESCO World Heritage Sites will be showcased in the United Nations’ main lobby from Feb. 17 to March 15. The New York viewing is part of a United States tour that also includes stops in Chicago, Miami, Baltimore, Houston and Los Angeles. The exhibit will display 55 medium-format photographs of the 25 sites recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in Mexico. Featured sites in the exhibit include the archeological zone of Monte Alban (Oaxaca), pre-hispanic city of Teotihuacan (State of Mexico), Xochimilco (Mexico City), Sian Ka’an (Quintana Roo), the Pre-hispanic city of Tajin (Veracruz) and the Historic Fortified city of Campeche (Campeche), among many others.
For more information call 212-308-2110 ext. 103 or e-mail zamar_vives@mia.bm.com

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.

MAR 28–APR 3: FIRST CONTEMPORARY MEXICAN FILM WEEK (Primera Semana de Cine Mexicano Contemporaneo)—Chicago. 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.

TBA: MEXICAN CULINARY EXHIBIT-Vancouver. Check www.visitmexico.com for more information.

THRU MAR: Live at the Blue Mamou, Jason Medeiros –Zihuatanejo, Gro. Jason Medeiros hails from the west coast capital of the blues, Oakland, California. Medeiros’ sound is a perfect mold of traditional Chicago Blues and the funk of Oakland Soul with all the modern conveniences. He carries with him the critical acclaim as a fabulous musician and the reputation as a relentless performer and bandleader. When Jason was asked why Zihuatanejo he said, “I really dig the scene, working with a great house band every night and performing for people who enjoy the music is really cool. I go to the beach everyday, the weather is phenomenal, the vibe of everybody is so positive. Hey this is paradise to me!” He joins a long roster of blues legends and newcomers that gives the Blue Mamou the distinction of Mexico’s “Home of the Blues”, Get up and dance with the tightest band this side of the Border. Kenny Green on drums, Alfonso Robledo on bass, Rodrigo Zambrano on guitar and guitar/vocalist Jason Madeiros. www.bluemamou.com

MAR 3: Night of the Witches (Noche de Brujas)--Catemaco, Veracruz. Is modern medicine getting you down? Need a cure or are you just a bit curious? The small lakeside town of Catemaco, referred to as the mecca of witch doctors, attracts thousands of people seeking non-conventional healing methods, and many swear by the results. Taking place the first Friday night of March every year, the annual gathering is a spectacle of witches, healers, magicians and wizards.

MAR 3 –APR 2: International Nautical Festival Vallarta 2006--Nueva Vallarta, Nayarit. Four-day event in the Bahía de Banderas (Flag Bay) featuring sailing and a variety of beach activities. Fun for the entire family.

MAR 3-5: Corona Rally Mexico--Guanajuato State. The cities of Guanajuato, Silao and Leon in Guanajuato State will host the 2006 Corona Rally, a two-day race covering 600 miles of central Mexico’s majestic plateaus and mountains in 15 legs of intense off road driving. This time, the León-based event will feature a new and spectacular stage on the outskirts of the city. Not to be missed is the wide array of festivities that always accompany the rallies. Traditional dance, music and food promise to put the Mexican spirit into this event. www.rallymexico.com

MAR 5: 78th Annual Academy Awards—Televised Worldwide, 5pm Pacific Time 8pm Eastern Standard Time. www.oscars.org, www.oscars.com

MAR 13-20: Xochimilco Festival--Xochimilco, Mexico City. Held annually two weeks before Easter, this four-day event dates back to precolonial times when Mexicans honored the goddess of flowers (Xochipilli) and the goddess of dance (Maculxochitl) to ensure good harvests. Every year, a young woman is crowned La Flor Mas Bella del Ejido (the most beautiful flower of the land) who presides over colorful parades on flower-decorated barges along Xochimilco’s famed canals.

MAR 14 – MAR 24: The Art of Drawing with Hand and Scissors by Jorge Rosano--Zihuatanejo, GRO. Cococabaña and Restaurant Coconuts present an exhibition, sale and Workshop with the artist present to show everyone how to artfully use scissors. “Art surrounded me in my father’s frame business of long standing as I grew up in Mexico City’s Roma neighborhood; My art is related to the cut our paper of the indigenous Otomies (Hñahñu) people from an ancient line of Mexicans, and not the Chinese technique of perforated paper.” –Jorge Rosano. Workshop and disccussion Mar 14, 7pm, Cocktail recption, 8pm.

MAR 15 - APR: Live at the Blue Mamou, Juce Garcia–Zihuatanejo, Gro.

MAR 16-19: 5th International Motorcycle Festival--Saltillo, Coahuila. Saltillo welcomes hundreds of riders to this unique event, just a three hours’ ride from Texas. www.amoden.com

MAR 17, 18, 19: 1st Annual Rotary Club FishingTournament --Zihuatanejo, GRO. Fishing tournament for sailfish, marlin & dorado, with over 30 prizes, including brand new Chevrolet trucks for 1st place in all three categories. With funds being raised for social development, education, and school building projects. Registration fee 8,000 pesos, includes social activities, call Sr Crescencio Cortes to register tel. 755-554-8423, www.ixtapa.com.m/torneodepesca rotary@ixtapa.com.mx

MAR 17-21: Tajin Summit (Cumbre Tajin)--Tajin, Veracruz. This festival evokes the spring season (a time of renovation) and celebrates the archeological sites and natural beauty of Veracruz. The central theme of Tajin 2006 is the Ritual. www.cumbretajin.com

MAR 21: Spring Equinox (Equinoccio de la Primavera)—Chichen-Itza, Yucatan. Thousands of people from around the world gather at this Mayan ruin on the Yucatan peninsula to witness the afternoon shadow of the snake-god Kukulcan slowly “crawl down” the country’s largest Mayan pyramid, El Castillo.

MAR 24 -31: Guadalajara Film Festival--Guadalajara, Jalisco. Now in its 21st year, this contemporary film festival is the oldest and most important film festival in Mexico, offering the best selection of Mexican and Ibero-American films of the year. The festival features a variety of films including feature-length films, shorts, documentaries and children’s films. www.guadalajaracinemafest.com.

MAR 25 – APR 8: XXII Mexico City Festival (XXII Festival del Centro Historico)--Mexico City, Mexico. Regarded as one of Latin America’s most vibrant celebrations of art and culture, this two-week festival features diverse events including opera, concerts, theater, art exhibits, dance productions and gourmet fare. More than a million local and international spectators will flock to Mexico City for the festival, and proceeds go toward the rescue and restoration of the art and architecture of Mexico City’s historic downtown area. www.fchmexico.com

MAR 23-26: II International Forum on Solidary Tourism and Fair Trade – Chiapas An international meeting to reflect and create alternatives, including ecological conservation, cultural awareness, social impartiality by establishing strong relationships between producers and consumers. For more information, please visit: http://www.fits.chiapas.gob.mx/

MAR 26 – APR 2: 3rd Annual Zihuatanejo International Guitar Festival –Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, GRO. For the third year in a row, the streets will be full of music when invited guitarists from across the globe come to Zihuatanejo with great music for a great cause. ZIGF is a week long benefit festival with a full eight days of live music including: an Opening Concert Sunday March 26 at Carlos & Charlies in Ixtapa, 6pm, Gala Dinner Shows nightly M-F, 6pm-8pm at Club Intrawest, Coconuts, La Cala at Pto Mio, Villa Vera, a free children’s concert on Thursday mar 30th, 11am-2pm, a Closing Concert April 1 at El Pueblito Restaurant in Zihuatanejo, 6pm, a free concert on Zihuatanejo’s main Plaza Apr 2, 7pm, with other special events planned. Check www.zihuafest.info for artists list, schedule and complete festival information.

MAR 27: Sociedad Protectora de Animales (Humane Society of Zihuatanejo) Annual Cocktail, Casa Marina--Zihuatanejo, GRO. Sociedad Protectora de Animales “Helene Krebs Posse”, A.C. invites you to its annual cocktail. Come enjoy the view of Zihuatanejo Bay from the terrace of Casa Marina, and listen to the wonderful music of Jose Luis Cobo and Enrique Luna, 6pm. Please come and help us continue our work with homeless animals in Zihuatanejo. Become a member or renew your membership. The funds raised in this event will be used for the 2006 sterilization campaign of dogs and cats in Zihuatanejo. Our special thanks to all volunteers and past supporters, your help makes it all possible. For more information call tel. 755-554-2373 or visit Casa Marina at Juan N. Alvarez #21, next to the basketball court, on the main bay-front plaza in downtown Zihuatanejo.

MAR 31 – APR 18: The Cuernavaca Fair (Formerly known as: La Feria de la Flor / The Flower Fair)--Cuernavaca, Morelos. This fair fills Cuernavaca’s streets with flower booths and gardening competitions. At night, everyone gathers at the main plaza for a laser light show. Pay a visit to the famous Borda Gardens, once the residence of Emperor Maximillian and his wife Carlota.