Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Downtown festivities to celebrate Mexico's Independence Day

The Las Vegas Mexican Patriotic Committee on Thursday night will commemorate Mexico's Independence Day with festivities and a re-enactment of the battle cry known as "El Grito De Dolores."

Mexico's independence was won after a 10-year war that began with the famed battle cry of a Mexican Catholic priest, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla.

At dawn on Sept. 16, 1810, the priest rang church bells and held up the banner of the revered Virgin of Guadalupe to rally Mexicans to arms against Spanish colonial powers.

Now, his battle cry, "Viva Mexico," is repeated at civic ceremonies in Mexico and by Mexicans around the globe on the eve of Sept. 16.

Thursday's celebration will include the tolling of a 450-pound bell, a replica of the church bell Hidalgo y Costilla rang 195 years ago.

The event, which starts at 8 p.m. at the Fremont Street Experience, will include Mexican folkloric dancing and mariachi music. Mexican Consul Mariano Lemus Gas will lead the re-enactment of the battle cry at 9 p.m.

On Friday, festivities to honor Mexico's Independence Day will continue at the Rafael Rivera Community Center, 2900 Stewart Ave., sponsored by Casa de la Cultura de las Americas, a nonprofit group that promotes Latin American culture.

Javier Becerra, the group's director, said the event, which goes from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., will include free food, music and folkloric dancing.

Becerra said the public is invited to bring their favorite regional foods to share. Those in attendance will be treated to historic presentations and an official civic ceremony by the Mexican consul.

Thursday also is Independence Day for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.