Bicentenario Festivities - (September program)

Watch an exclusive video from last night Celebration
It'll leave you shouting "Viva Mexico!"

In Mexico the entire month of September is a celebration to the homeland. It is referred to as the Mes de la Patria, “Month of the Homeland” In 2010, Mexico will celebrate the bicentennial of its Independence as well as the centennial of its Revolution.

Throughout the country cities will put up decorations in red, white and green- Mexico’s National Colors. Each of the flag’s color has a special meaning. Red on the right side of the flag symbolizes union, while green on the left side of the flag symbolizes independence. White is the color in the middle and symbolizes religion.

Patriotic festivities or Fiestas Patrias take place nationwide to celebrate the events that led up to Mexico’s Independence from Spain, to which many exceptional men and women contributed. Here we present the biographies of some of the most well-known heroes of the Independence movement.

The Grito de Dolores:
On September 16, 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a priest in Dolores, gathered his Indian and Mestizo congregation and called for Mexican independence, Hidalgo rang the bell, calling everyone to fight for liberty "Mexicanos, Viva Mexico!" Mexicans, long live Mexico! Mexico was known as Nueva España, New Spain at the time.

Nowadays the historic event is commemorated every September 15th at 11pm. People gather in the Zocalo in Mexico City as well as the historical centers throughout the country. The President of Mexico will start the ceremony by ringing the bell at Padre Hidalgo's church. He will shout the Cry of Independence El Grito de la Independencia or Grito de Dolores of “Viva Mexico” from the balcony of the National Palace. Every year this tradition is televised and broadcast on so that all Mexicans may reply “Viva!” to the Cry for independence.
¡Viva Mexico! ¡Viva!
¡Viva Mexico! ¡Viva!
¡Viva Mexico! ¡Viva!

At the end of the third ¡Viva Mexico! fireworks light up the night sky and the crowd cheers.

The celebrations continue on the 16th with parades and festivities such as rodeos, bullfights and horseback rider performances. Statues in memory of Father Hidalgo are decorated with red, white, and green flowers and ornaments.

Chiles en Nogada are the traditional dish of the Fiestas Patria, the green of the chile poblano, the white of the “nogada”, and the red of the pomegranate seeds are symbolic of the Mexican flag. Then enjoy a Pozole a soup made of hominy and pork and a Ponche a drink made of seasonal fruits such as raisins and apples, guayabas and sweetened with sugarcane.

Watch another exclusive video from last night Celebration.

The video was taken from the inside of the Palacio Nacional, where the President of Mexico leads the Grito de Independencia September 15th, 2010.