Festival de Comunidades Extranjeras

What does the festival consist of?

The Festival de Comunidades Extranjeras is an annual event (which takes place in the third week of March) organised in the borough of Santa Rosa Jauregui, where the famous Parque Bicentenario is located. During the three-day long event, several countries coming from five different continents are usually represented.

Parque Bicentenario is divided amongst these five aforementioned continents that are being represented: in each section, you will find either solely European countries, or solely Latin American, and so on.

The citizens of each country that live in Querétaro usually agree to come together and prepare something for this event. People put their heart and soul into representing their country to the very best of their abilities, and there was very much a clear example of that this year with the sole representative of Estonia. She took care of both putting together her country's stand and performing a typical dance all by herself.

The stands are marked at the top with the name of their respective country and, of course, they are never without the several flags hung all over the place. The decor on the stand ultimately depends on the articles that the residents have from their countries of origin and how many of them can be hung up. At many of the stands, you will be able to find many things available for purchase, like: CDs, keyring, hats, flags, fridge magnets, makeup, and even traditional clothing. It would, many a time, seem like you have found yourself inside a gift shop.

I honestly think that one of the best things about this event is being able to try and buy dishes typical of all these countries, as each stand sells food that best characterises the country in question. For example, if you go to the Belgian stand, you will find different types of beer, but if you go to the French stand, you will be met with some delicious desserts. A large number of the countries don't limit themselves to just desserts or drinks, but, in fact, serve entire meals, which can be combined to create your "ideal" dish. There are lots of plastic tables and chairs spread out across the park that you'll be able to sit down and eat at once you have bought your food. However, they are more often than not occupied because this is one of the most important annual events for the residents of Querétaro, meaning that, as a result, it's usually extremely busy.

Cultural events

Playing host to cultural events like this one is the best thing about the park, as they are, in part, organised as a way for several companies, schools and business to advertise, but especially to promote international tourism.

One of the clearest examples is that of dance: many countries organise performances of traditional dances and, in the majority of cases, they are organised by dance schools, who hope that they have people asking how to sign themselves up for classes once their presentation has finished. Doing something like this at an event of this magnitude has its advantages, as you will find many discounts for all manner of services.

My Irish dance school has been performing at the event for several years, so we are very much used to being asked to represent Ireland on one of the park's stages year after year. We usually dance on the Cascada stage close to where the Latin American countries are situated.

Here is a photo of myself with the Irish representatives wearing traditional, patriotic clothing to promote their stand.

There are also other stages, like those belonging to the countries located in the Circuito Parque, and these countries are exhibited on the lake stage or at the water park. Many of the activities on offer will suit any and everyone's taste, as there are not just dancers performing, but also very famous orchestras from the city, like the Big Band, who captivate audiences year after year with their spectacular jazz pieces. If you are a cinema fan, you will be able to watch documentaries, vocal performances, and even participate in live demonstrations.

Another piece of good news is that it's absolutely an event that you can take children to, as the park has an endless number of children's toys and activities that they can be entertained by.

If you are a foreigner, this event is a great opportunity for you to meet people from your own country and eat the food that you grew up with. My boyfriend is from the Dominican Republic and every year he goes to his country's stand extremely excited to eat the food that makes him feel like he is at home.

Dominican food.

Dominican food: you can choose from as many combinations on the menu as you want.

The event also serves as a great opportunity to buy products that you miss and that you would usually have to import for yourself.

How do you get there?

Due to the fact that Parque Bicentenario is located in the borough of Santa Rosa Jauregui, from the city centre, you have to take the highway for around half an hour to get there. However, on the days of the festival, there is free transport to the event, which usually departs from the Centro Cultural Manuel Gómez Morín.

When can I go to the festival?

The event usually takes place over a three-day period, starting on Friday and ending on Sunday. In terms of opening hours, the event opens to the public in the morning and later winds down just before 9pm.

How much does it cost?

The event takes place in Parque Bicentenario and entrance costs $40 Mexican pesos (roughly around $2). The entrance fee includes access to both Parque Bicentenario and the festival itself.

Recommendations:

• My recommendation is go to on Friday, as the park is rather full on the other days, given that it's a very famous event and everyone wants to see it for themselves.
• Another recommendation would be to arrive early and take a considerable amount of money, as the food isn't particularly cheap, nor are the souvenirs like the t-shirts, whistles, keyrings, ornaments, etc.
• Taking around $400 Mexican pesos per person would be sufficient for you to enjoy some good food, a couple of beers and another little something in the way of a souvenir. There are some stands that accept card payments, but it's honestly better to take cash. The event is held inside, so there's no need for you to take a hat, sunglasses or sun cream, but I would advise wearing comfortable clothing for the walking around that you'll be doing.

The Dominican Republic stand.

I highly recommend this experience. I go every year and I have had the opportunity to dance on the big stage representing Ireland. Don't miss out on seeing the event for yourself.