Celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day at two different events in Dallas. Here’s everything you need to know about both.
On Sunday, September 13, two events will be held in Fort Worth to celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day: La Gran Plaza’s Fiestas Patrias, and the Fiestas Patrias Parade and Celebration at Fort Worth Stockyards. Both celebrations are free to attend, though some of the events scheduled at Fort Worth Stockyards do require tickets, which we’ll provide information on momentarily.
Up first is La Gran Plaza’s Fiestas Patrias, scheduled from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at La Gran Plaza de Fort Worth located at 4200 S. Freeway. The event is hosted by La Gran Plaza, Telemundo 39, and NBC 5 in partnership with the Consulate General of Mexico in Dallas, Luis Rodríguez Bucio. Folkloric dancers, mariachis, Matachines, and more will perform, and there will be an array of traditional Mexican foods available as well.
According to the official invitation on La Gran Plaza’s website, “This celebration will display local, cultural, and professional organizations, live entertainment and the traditional “El Grito” that will be heard across the DFW metroplex.” Bucio will lead the “Grito de Independencia,” also known as the “Cry of Independence,” at 4 p.m. that day. Additional details regarding who’s performing and at what time can be found here.
Up next is another event jointly organized by Telemundo 30 and NBC 5, in partnership with the Fiestas Patrias Committee and Stockyards Business Association: The Fiestas Patrias Parade and Celebration at Fort Worth Stockyards. This celebration kicks off at 10 a.m. and goes until 4 p.m. Folkloric dancers will also be performing here, as will regional musical guests, escaramuzas, and charros.
Plus there’s a parade, food vendors, dancing, and more. The parade and musical performances are free to attend, but the Spirit of Mexico Rodeo events scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. require tickets for entry. A full schedule breakdown of the Fort Worth Stockyards celebration and a link to those tickets can be found here.
Mexico’s Independence Day has been celebrated since 1810
While these celebrations are scheduled for Sunday, September 13, Mexico’s Independence Day is actually celebrated on September 16 each year. On that day in 1810, Father Hidalgo (Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla), a Catholic priest, led a speech in Dolores, Mexico calling for the country’s independence from the Spanish Empire. His “Grito de Independencia,” or “Cry of Independence,” is still reenacted to this day.
September 16 also marks the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence from Spain, making it an even more meaningful occasion for those celebrating. Elena Albarrán serves as an associate professor at the Miami University in Ohio and specializes in history and global and intercultural studies. She told National Geographic in 2018, “Independence commemorates the beginning [of the struggle]. In this case, you celebrate the moment of insurgency, the possibility, and the hope.”
Albarrán said that many Americans often confuse Mexico’s Independence Day with Cinco de Mayo. “Every time I teach Mexican history and I ask students when the Mexican independence day is, they either have no idea, which is fine, or fully half or the majority assume it’s Cinco de Mayo.” She emphasized that the two are completely different events and are celebrated much differently in Mexico, as Cinco de Mayo is primarily a commercialized holiday in the US.
