BajaNomad

San Javier Festival

RaicesVivas - 11-28-2011 at 04:35 PM

San Javier Festival
December 1-4

This festival is in celebration of Saint Francisco Javier and in general of Baja California Sur’s ranching and cowboy culture. Every year, hundreds, even thousands of people flock to the small mountain town of San Javier either as a pilgrimage to the saint or to enjoy the party.

Below are some of this year’s activities. Mass is also held periodically between the 1st and 4th.

The road has been recently graded and is passible even in a small vehicle, but closes to let the horse riders come in on the morning of the 2rd from around 8 am to 12 pm.

Don’t forget to wear your cowboy hat and boots!

Activities:
1st
• 8 a.m. Calbalgata (Horse procession) leaves the Loreto Mission and will spend the night at Rancho San Matias (First ranch after pavement ends), where there will be music and festivities.
• Day time activities ever day include: rodeos, c-ck fights, booths of traditional food, Christmas present shopping and more
• 7:30 p.m. Inauguration of the Festival and artistic program at the bandstand next to the mission
• Night time music and dances. On the first and second the following groups will be playing at a bandstand next to the mission: El Grupo Norteño, Los Alteños y Sabas Valenzuela and La Voz de Choix

2nd
• Calbalgata from Loreto arrives in San Javier
• 1 pm – Living Roots presentation on traditional cowboy wear and a leather work demonstration at their booth next to the police station.
• 8:30 p.m. Artistic program at bandstand
• Music and dances

3rd
• Day time activities similar to first two days
• 7:30 p.m. Artistic program at bandstand
• Music and dances

4th
• 8 a.m. “Ruta de las Misiones” Bike Ride leaves Loreto and is expected to arrive at 10 am

Leo - 11-28-2011 at 07:12 PM

Heard good things about it and would love to be there. Perhaps next year.
Thanks for the detailed program.

Paulina - 11-28-2011 at 07:19 PM

I wish I could be there too. We visited San Javier last summer, the first time back for me since 1979.

Those bike riders must have thighs of steel, that hill climb is something else.

Thank you RaicesVivas for keeping us posted. I would love to see photos.

P>*)))>{

shari - 11-28-2011 at 07:30 PM

Gracias Raices vivas for keeping us in the San Javier loop...this is a wonderful event so if any of you are near Loreto...try to get up there for some of the festivities!