Feria de San Jeronimo

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October,1 2002

We had a very interesting time last night at the Feria de San Jeronimo. It was a fair to celebrate Saint Jeronimo. We live on San Jeronimo Street, and one of the first churches built in Mexico is just up the street from us. It was built in honor of San Jeronimo. The church was decorated with flowers just like a flower-covered float in the Rose Parade.

In the street in front of the church there was a greased pole that people were trying to climb to get the prizes at the top. There was a funky band playing and men dressed as women dancing to the music. The most spectacular thing was a two story fire works design of spinning wheels that they set off just as we were passing under it. (They did give us warning just in time!) After that spectacle, which caused much squealing and ducking as fireworks flew out of control, the real show began. Twice, a man with a big headpiece in the shape of a bull that was loaded with fireworks ran through the crowd with fireworks and rockets firing all over the place coming from the headpiece as he ducked his head down and ran like an angry bull. People were running and screaming all over the place as fireworks shot all through the crowds. Miraculously enough, I don’t think anyone got hurt. Unfortunately, I only had my still camera and not the video camera. What an unforgettable experience. Hopefully the pictures will turn out! Here you see from left to right, Lalo (in red, our next door neighbor), our 'brother' Beto, or at least a little of his face, me, Saraita y Dani. Notice people to our left looking up at the big pinwheel fireworks display.