By Fernanda Noriega and Francisco Peyret
Cover photo by Sean Reagan.
A unique and quite peculiar tradition in San Miguel is the «Fiesta de los Locos» (Festival of Fools) or «Convite de los Locos»(Convocation of Fools). It is a festival filled with creativity, color, and fun, held in the middle of June. It has been, for decades, part of the festivities of San Antonio de Padua, which takes place on June 13.
The Locos parade pays homage to the Saint San Pascual Baylón. It was started by the orchard keepers of San Miguel who would dress up with masks and palm hats, to give thanks for good harvests. They also gave away fruits and invited people to the celebration and the religious ceremony. Over time, when people saw the orchard keepers all dressed up in their disguises, they would call out: “Here come the crazy ones!”
According to some elders, these parties began in 1934, with only about thirty people participating in the first celebration. It is estimated that in recent years, there have been as many as 10,000 people taking part. Today, after almost seventy years of tradition, people from different neighborhoods meet with hundreds of visitors to enjoy a truly great atmosphere on the streets of San Miguel. Like every year, the disguises depict many fanciful characters. There are funny television characters, comic superheroes, aliens and monsters from Hollywood movies. There are also parodies of national and international political figures; they will all take to the streets during the parade to the amusement and surprise of the community.
In spite of the growth of the urban population in the city and municipality, old traditions such as the festival of Valle del Maíz, the Alborada, and Los Locos festivities have not lessened. Quite the opposite; each year, with more and more tourism and new residents settling in San Miguel, these festivals have become even more prominent. The people of San Miguel have been turning their ancient festivities into increasingly spectacular events, but always respecting the basic traditions.
We interviewed Fernando Soria Aguado, a member of the Soria family who for generations has been part of the organizers of the Desfile de los Locos (the Locos parade). Below is a little about the history and logistics of this great event.
In 2022, the Soria family is celebrating more than forty years of participation in the oldest Fools group—The Park Squad. It is important to mention that the Parade consists of four squads:
- The Park Squad
- The Old Squad
- The New Squad
- The Owl Squad
Soria explains that his squad has images and figures of San Juan Baylón, a saint that has for decades been associated with dances and festivities. Soria also says that plans and logistics begin on Jan. 1, when the squad participants decide what the theme of their costumes will be for that year. Then they have them made. In the past, the costumes could be quite simple. But nowadays, great care is taken in crafting them so that they are specific to the theme and carefully coordinated with the other members of the squad. It would be too complicated for someone to just come in and sign up to participate, as there are many steps involved. A special registration with the group has to be done in advance, and the lines are already formed and ready.
The Parade takes place every year in June, on the first Sunday after June 13, and often coincides with Father’s Day. The parade starts next to the Hotel Real de Minas, located at Salida a Celaya. It then continues along Zacateros, Canal, Hernández Macías, Insurgentes, Mesones, Pepe Llanos, San Francisco. Finally, approximately four hours later, it reaches the Jardin Principal.
Soria said the traditional Locos Parade was suspended for two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, «Las Peloteras» will not participate, but the four main squads mentioned above will. Each of the squads is composed of thirteen groups with 75-100 people per group. Accordingly, the Parade will have a about five-thousand Locos. «The Festival has evolved over the years and generations, we hope that the tradition will never be lost and that, on the contrary, it can improve every time in all aspects,» said Soria. He noted that the event will receive support from Civil Protection, the Red Cross, and other authorities, to ensure safety and to make sure all health protocols are followed.
