Los Locos Parade in San Miguel de Allende

Today is the Los Locos Parade in honor of San Antonio.  A large portion of the town is shut down for most of the day while the parade meanders through the main streets of downtown and back to the San Antonio church.  This year there is said to be more than 52 floats with the groups of people that dance behind them.  It is loud and colorful, and so intense! 

San Antonio or Saint Anthony

We always encourage people to come visit during this festivity as it is so very exciting to see.  The people on the floats dress up and throw candy, Popsicles and bolis at the onlookers.  Everyone dances and there is lots of loud music as each float tries to out-do it's neighbors.  Weeks in the making the floats are decorated and the costumes are worked on.  Groups of people collaborate to have themes for each float.

Little ones enjoying their prized treats thrown from the floats, Bolis

It is an urban legend here in San Miguel that the start of Los Locos came from a dancing priest, more than 3 generations ago.  Everyone in town would congregate at the San Antonio church which was surrounded by fields and orchards.  The priest would require for penitence that people dance their way home.  

San Antonio Church of yesterday

San Antonio Church Today

The rich people living downtown of course did not want their friends and neighbors to know that they were sinners.  They donned masks as they shimmied on down the road.  To this day you can see people dressed up in masks to look like old people or with Cardboard boxes on their heads for various parades and events in town.  But not as many as turn out for the Los Locos Parade.

Here are some photos snapped at last years Los Locos Parade

 

I enjoy watching the foreigner paparazzi as much as the parade