On the first Friday of March, hundreds of dancers in costumes inspired by pre-Hispanic attire fill the area around the Jardin.  The Jardin is a landscaped square surrounded by cobbled pavement in the center of town over looked by the towering spires of a church called the Parroquia.  The celebration honors El Senor de la Conquista (Our Lord of the Conquest) as a symbol of the conversion to Christianity of the indigenous people of Mexico.  Dancers attend a Mass in the Parroquia in the morning, then parade through the streets of the city.  In the evening hundreds of dancers from surrounding villages dance for 3 hours completely filling the plaza surrounding the Jardin.  While they dance, each group is accompanied by drums that can be heard throughout the city.  The dancers are of all ages and the costumes are magnificent in color, plumage, and sparkle.  I am always in awe of their stamina - they rarely take a break to rest!

One group of dancers wear masks and act out pantomime skits.  Here they lead the parade.



















To raise money to cover the dancers' expenses, each group has a display of breads for sale - a bake sale!