This Sunday, May 18, San Miguel de Allende vibrated with the joy and color of the festivities in honor of Saint Pascual Bailón, patron saint of cooks and a symbol of gratitude for the region’s gardeners. The celebration marked the beginning of the season of festivities that will culminate in June with the highly anticipated Convite de Locos (Crazy People’s Party).
From early in the morning, hundreds of people gathered to watch the parade of the traditional “cuadros de Locos” (Loco’s Groups), representative groups that blend religious devotion with expressions of popular culture. This event, which combines music, colorful costumes, dances, and the throwing of candy, honors the saint while strengthening the sense of community and tradition among the people of San Miguel.
Three main groups took to the streets to pay tribute to Saint Pascual Bailón. The Park Group was the first to march, at 10:00 a.m. Their route began at El Cardo, continuing along Ancha de San Antonio, Zacateros, Canal, Hernández Macías, and Insurgentes streets. From there, they continued through Pepellanos, Mesones, Núñez, San Francisco, and the Main Square. They then passed through Portal Allende, Correo, and ended in Corregidora.
The Old Cadre, meanwhile, began its journey from Quinta de Umarán, passing through San Pedro, Indio Triste, and San Antonio Abad. They then entered Insurgentes and followed the same shared route: Pepellanos, Mesones, Núñez, San Francisco, Main Square, and Canal, ending at the atrium of the Temple of San Juan de Dios, where they pay homage to their patron saint.
