May 2018 Events in Sonora, Mexico

May is the month to enjoy outdoor events before the extreme summer heat consumes Sonora, and the month is a busy time for special events. The month starts with Labor Day on May 1, and one of the biggest days of the year – Mother’s Day – is always celebrated on May 10.

There are also great cultural festivals in Hermosillo and Magdalena de Kino, and also several religious festivals in various Sonoran pueblos. And of course, the fifth day of May will remember the Battle of Puebla during Cinco de Mayo parades and celebrations, to include a Bacanora Fest in Rocky Point.

1

Dia del Trabajo – Labor Day
Nationwide
Like many countries, Mexico celebrates its labor day on May 1st, when parades, marches and union events are held.   All schools, banks and government offices are closed in observance of the event.

2

The Feast of the Holy Cross (Santa Cruz Pahko)
Various Yaqui Pueblos
This ceremony occurs on May 2nd. However, the Vespers (Vispera) are usually offered the night prior to the actual Holy Cross ceremony. This is an all-night ceremony where the oficios (Pahko’ola and Deer Dance Societies) as well as the Prayer Leaders will participate. The ceremony ends on Sunday, around mid-day

5

Cinco de Mayo, Batalla de Puebla – Commemoration of the Battle of Puebla

A minor holiday in Sonora, the 5th of May is celebrated to commemorate the 1862 battle of Puebla, where the Mexican army defeated French forces. Some cities, like Nogales, will celebrate the day with a parade.

Bacanora Fest 2018
Puerto Peñasco
12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
This is the first year to introduce this distilled liquor that is purely Sonoran to the people of Puerto Peñasco. The event is free and features free bacanora tastings, as well as the opportunity to purchase a bottle of this unique liquor. More information.

10

Dia de la Madre – Mother’s Day
Nationwide
Mother’s Day is always celebrated on May 10th in Mexico, and it is a major event where mothers are showered with gifts and attention.

15

Día del Maestro – Teachers’ Day
Nationwide
This is typically a day off from school, and teachers’ unions hold a celebration in honor of the maestros.  This is also a time when students present their teacher with a gift if appreciation.

Día de San Isidro Labrador
Feast day of Saint Isadore the Laborer, Isidro de Merlo y Quintana (1070 – 1130), the patron saint of farmers and laborers

Fiestas de San Isidro Labrador
Atil
Benito Juárez
Cucurpe
Cumpas
Granado
Magdalena de Kino

18 – 22

Eusebio Francisco Kino Cultural X Festival
Magdalena de Kino
This event is held in honor of Jesuit priest Eusebio Francisco Kino, who established a number of missions in the area that is now southern Arizona and northern Mexico.  It was first held in 1967 after the discovery of Father Kino’s remains in what is now Plaza Monumental.

The main fiestas are held in Magdalena, where father Kino’s remains lie, although there are also festivals held in some other pueblos such as Santa Ana, Cucurpe, Imuris and San Ignacio.

The festival in Magdalena is a major Sonoran event, featuring exhibitions, arts and crafts sales, a parade, and other activities. The festival has a very relaxed vibe, unlike the sometimes raucous scenes at its October Fiestas. More information.

19 – 20

Fiestas del Espiritu Santu
Etchojoa
This religious festival begins with a procession from the Church of the Holy Trinity in El Jupare, with a stop for an early morning mass in Huatabampo and on to Etchojoa for the fiestas. More information.

26 – 27

Fiestas de la Santisima Trinidad
El Júpare
Huatabampo
This is one of the year’s biggest religious observances among the indigenous Yoreme Mayo from El Júpare, Huatabampo, Sonora.
More information.

24 – 29

Festival del Pitic
Hermosillo
A major cultural and arts festival that celebrates the origins of the city of Hermosillo, which was originally known as Pitic. Performances and exhibits of music, art and theater will fill public areas along with a delicious array of food options and entertaining street performers.

Presented by the Hermosillo Municipal Institute of Culture, Art and Tourism (IMCATUR), with support from the Sonoran Institute of Culture and the Commission for the Promotion of Sonoran Tourism, in addition to various private businesses and the Federal Secretary of Culture. We attended the festival last year and had a great time – read about the Festival del Pitic 2017.

More information.