What is the culture of San Miguel de Allende?
Melanie Lansing - Mexico Insurance Advisors
We have a very cosmopolitan culture in San Miguel de Allende. We have a broad mix of Mexicans who are natives to the state of Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende. There are a lot of Mexican nationals from Mexico City who have come to retire here in San Miguel. Of all of the expats that are here in San Miguel, the largest group would be Canadians and Americans. We also have Australian, European, and Asian expats. Furthermore, we have seen an increase in the number of Japanese and...We have a very cosmopolitan culture in San Miguel de Allende. We have a broad mix of Mexicans who are natives to the state of Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende. There are a lot of Mexican nationals from Mexico City who have come to retire here in San Miguel. Of all of the expats that are here in San Miguel, the largest group would be Canadians and Americans. We also have Australian, European, and Asian expats. Furthermore, we have seen an increase in the number of Japanese and Korean tourists who are employed in the Japanese auto industry in the states of Guanajuato & Querétaro. Most Mexicans in San Miguel work really hard to learn English. They realize how important it is for their children to grow up and have access to good jobs some of which include: gardening, home construction, home maintenance, legal services, interpretation, and medical.
The English-speaking residents of San Miguel are becoming a larger percentage of the population, especially in the downtown area, which we call the Centro. Many own stores, real estate agencies, and restaurants as well as homes there.
(Japanese immigrants to Mexico, pictured.)
Posted June 10, 2016
Rio de Paz Cuellar
I am not an expert in the culture of San Miguel de Allende, but I would say there are many cultures. I’m a bicultural person- my parents are from Mexico, and I grew up speaking Spanish. I speak fluent Spanish and English as well, so I fit in. That’s one of the reasons I love this town- because it’s a bicultural town. People get along very well, so I love that about San Miguel. If you are a foreigner and don’t speak Spanish, people...
I am not an expert in the culture of San Miguel de Allende, but I would say there are many cultures. I’m a bicultural person- my parents are from Mexico, and I grew up speaking Spanish. I speak fluent Spanish and English as well, so I fit in. That’s one of the reasons I love this town- because it’s a bicultural town. People get along very well, so I love that about San Miguel. If you are a foreigner and don’t speak Spanish, people are very understanding, kind, considerate and forgiving. There are a dozen Spanish schools here so lots of people are learning to speak Spanish.
I’m an artist, and there’s an artist community, and there’s always something going on. We have the art newspaper, the Atención, which is run by an expat who also created it. The Atención is bilingual, online, and has the events calendar. He covers everything, and if you look on there, there’s not a night in the week that there aren’t several things going on. If you’re into going out, there’s no shortage of that, and if you like to stay at home like I do and paint, there are people to talk to you about that, too.
(Rio de Paz Cuellar with his artwork, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, pictured.)
Posted November 12, 2016
Judy Newell - Perfect Journeys
San Miguel de Allende has a very artistic culture. There are many people involved in all art forms such as painters and writers. There's a huge writing community in San Miguel de Allende. The city hosts the largest international writers' conference in all of North America, which includes Canada, USA, and Mexico. This takes place annually in February.
There's a film festival every year, where they showcase...
San Miguel de Allende has a very artistic culture. There are many people involved in all art forms such as painters and writers. There's a huge writing community in San Miguel de Allende. The city hosts the largest international writers' conference in all of North America, which includes Canada, USA, and Mexico. This takes place annually in February.
There's a film festival every year, where they showcase local filmmakers and local actors. Many professionals in different artistic fields have retired in San Miguel de Allende, which has created a very artistic community.
There are at least 40 art galleries in the very small town of San Miguel de Allende. There are 80,000 people in the historic center of the town. San Miguel de Allende is the "Taos of the South" because it has a lot of similarities with the town of Taos, New Mexico.
Establishing my husband's theater in San Miguel de Allende was almost a magical experience. My husband has been a professional actor all his life. He had been working with the local theater group of San Miguel de Allende and was not satisfied with the venues that we had at that time.
He began talking to people and said, "I want to build a professional-quality theater in San Miguel de Allende." People just started to write checks to his name while on the golf course because they knew him and trusted what he said he was going to do.
We're starting our third year of theater now. We've done over 20 productions in two years. It worked out very well. Our house seats 135 people. We are not full in every production, but we have a very good turnout for every production.
(Book featured at the San Miguel de Allende Writer's Conference, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, pictured.)
Posted August 7, 2017
SONIA DIAZ - Sonia Diaz
San Miguel has a mixed culture. The local people still observe their traditions, such as religious celebrations. One example is their traditions for Semana Santa (Holy Week), which runs from Thursday to Easter Sunday. During this time, people decorate the outside of their houses, put flowers in the Jardin, which is the main plaza at the front of the Parroquia (central church), and go to church. On Easter Sunday, the locals prepare flavored ice treats from oranges or other fruit they call...San Miguel has a mixed culture. The local people still observe their traditions, such as religious celebrations. One example is their traditions for Semana Santa (Holy Week), which runs from Thursday to Easter Sunday. During this time, people decorate the outside of their houses, put flowers in the Jardin, which is the main plaza at the front of the Parroquia (central church), and go to church. On Easter Sunday, the locals prepare flavored ice treats from oranges or other fruit they call pisas, which is good with salt or some chili powder. These they give away to anyone who would like to try them.Another celebration is the Day of the Dead on 1st and 2nd of November, where locals wear scary costumes of skulls, witches and vampires. They celebrate by offering food like tamales, alcoholic beverages, cigarettes and other goodies to their families who have passed due to their belief that the flavor and essence are taken by their dead family members over to the other world along with the happy memories spent during these days with their living loved ones.
There are many celebrations in San Miguel; at least one celebration per month.
(Pictured: Dia de Muertos celebration in San Miguel de Allende with parroquia in the background)
Posted February 28, 2018