Festivals
This is just a partial list of festivals. They have so many it is hard to keep track of them all. They have what they call 'bridge holidays' where 2 holidays are close together so they make it one big holiday. The festivals are characterized by parades in the street, dancers, fireworks and church bells at 4 in the morning. Bring earplugs.

January

• New Years Eve - actually they don't do that much for New Years.
  
• International Bird Watching Festival - Last week of January - Events every day including folk dancing in the plaza at night.
  
• Jose Maria Mercado Day - Last week of January - Celebrates the friendship between San Blas and the village of Ahualulco. People from Ahualulco supported San Blas during one of the revolutions and the friendship has remained strong since then. Jose Maria Mercado was the priest from Ahualulco who captured San Blas and Tepic from the Spaniards. There is a statue of him on the plaza, surrounded by flowers for this occasion. The round ball in the plaza is a gift from Ahualulco.

• San Blas Day - February 3rd. In my opinion, the best holiday of the year. A fabulous fireworks display starts in the plaza around 9:30.
• Constitution day - immediateley following San Blas Day. In fact from the last week of January thru the first week of February is a Bridge Holiday with events almost every day.
• Mardi Gras - Sometimes they celebrate with a big parade and floats - sometimes hardly at all. It depends on the budget. This year they spent all their money on Christmas decorations so there will be no parade.
• Valentines Day - Big dance in the plaza - live music until 4. (Good opportunity to test your earplugs).
• Flag Day - February 24th. The usual parades and marching bands during the day on the plaza.

• Semana Santa - Easter week - Wedesday through Sunday on Easter week is a madhouse. Generally you would always need reservations the week before and after easter. The plaza is packed at night with tourists and vendors. A large brass and woodwind band of about 20 people plays on the plaza. There are often rock concerts on the beach. It can be fun, but I prefer the quieter times.

• Virgen of Guadalupe Festival - This holiday starts December 6th and lasts for 9 days. Each night a different neighborhood organizes a procession to the plaza with dances, floats,and fireworks. Many of the children dress up as Indians. While it is a lovely festival it can also be quite noisy with church bells and fireworks starting at 4AM.