Monterrey Events and Festivals

(Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico)

Tourists will find plenty to keep them occupied whenever they choose to visit Monterrey, with festivals, events and things to do all the year round. Monterrey Arena is one of the city's premier entertainment venues and features a capacity of around 20,000 people. This indoor stadium is located on Monterrey's Avenida Madero and regularly hosts various concerts, sporting events and other performances, being completed in 1994 at the cost of more than $50 million.

Popular festivals include the Monterrey International Puppet Festival (Festival Internacional de Titeres) in July, the Monterrey International Film Festival (Festival Internacional de Cine de Monterrey) in August and also the Monterrey Exposition each September. The annual calendar of main events is below.

Monterrey Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• Feast Day of San Antonio de Abad - mid-January, a religious event embraced by the Catholic faith and very much based around the community's pets and farm animals, many of which are blessed at churches
• AHR Expo - late January, lasting three days, this industrial expo features an interesting exhibition concentrating on the environment, with hands-on displays and information on how we can save energy

February

• Candlemas Dia de la Candelaria - February 2nd, this notable event honours the Virgin Mary and is celebrated throughout Mexico and within Monterrey, with much of the celebration being based around the Zona Centro, where you can enjoy processions, street entertainment, extravagant decorations and bullfights
• Dia de la Bandera (Flag Day) - February 24th, if you are staying in Monterrey on Flag Day, expect to join in with the locals, who wave their small and colourful Mexican flags all around the city. The Municipal Palace and the State Government Palace (Palacio de Gobierno) form the heart of the action on this day

March

• Hazlo Tu - late March, this annual art exhibition on the Avenida Parque Fundidora has gained quite a reputation and is becoming increasingly popular. Traders also provide added interest, along with competitions, demonstrations and plenty of art works to enjoy
• Monterrey Festival - mid-March, lasting an entire week, an evangelistic event attracting up to half a million visitors

April

• Cirque de Soleil - this French-style circus often arrives in Monterrey during April and performs a range of traditional circus acts (animal free) at the Monterrey Arena
• Semana Santa - early April, Monterrey's Holy Week celebrations, including religious processions on Palm Sunday and many other themed Easter events

May

• Labour Day (Dia del Trabajo) - May 1st, a national holiday throughout Mexico, with a number of celebrations taking place each year all over Monterrey
• Cinco de Mayo - May 5th, locals in Monterrey celebrate the country's anniversary of the victorious battle against the French, which took place at Puebla

June

• There are no significant festivals in Monterrey during the month of June

July

• Festival Internacional de Titeres (Monterrey International Puppet Festival) - mid-July, a event that appeals to both children and adults, with many puppet makers, puppets and marionettes arriving in the city

August

• Festival Internacional de Cine de Monterrey (Monterrey International Film Festival) - mid-August, considered to be amongst Mexico's most important festivals of its kind and previously known as the Voladero International Film and Video Festival. Expect a huge variety of films to be screened at many cinemas around the city

September

• Expo Monterrey - September, a yearly trade fair held within the Parque Ninos Héreos
• Aniversario de Independencia (Independence Day) - September 16th, the year's biggest celebrations take place in Monterrey on this Mexican national holiday, with plenty of free tequila to go around, along with a grand fireworks display and a long procession

October

• Dia de la Raza - October 12th, celebrations around the city, commemorating Mexico's mixed ancestry

November

• Festival Cultural del Barrio Aniguo - late November, the Cultural Festival of the Old Neighbourhood features a series of concerts, live music events, art exhibitions and conferences, held at various venues around the Old Quarter area of Monterrey

December

• Fiestas de Santa Lucia - throughout December, this is a truly cultural event featuring many other countries, who all come together to celebrate their traditions at a number of different venues, including the City Theatre and also the San Pedro Garza Garca
• Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe - December 12th, a major event with celebrations starting well before this day and including the arrival of literally thousands of pilgrims at the Sanctuario de Guadalupe, located on the southern side of the river. Further festivities also take place around the nearby village of Abasolo