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When is Mexico Independence Day? |  |
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What is Mexico Independence Day? | |
Mexico Independence Day is celebrated on September 16th each year, a date that marks the start of the Mexican War of Independence in 1810. The Mexican people began planning an uprising against Spanish colonizers after Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Spain and imprisoned King Ferdinand the Seventh. It was an ideal opportunity to set up local governments in Mexico since Spain was in turmoil without clear leadership. When the Spanish moved to squelch these plans, a Roman Catholic priest in Mexico announced his intention to battle Spain for Mexico's Independence. Father Costilla's speech was later called "Grito de Dolores" after the town where the revolution began in earnest.
Mexico's day of independence is celebrated throughout the nation with feasts, festivals, fireworks, and parades. Local officials and political figures re-enact the famous speech to the great pleasure of the crowd. Mexican citizens drape flags inside and outside their homes and take the day to spend time with family. The day is also widely celebrated in the southern United States among people of Mexican heritage.
