Weekend Menu Mexico City
Your quick guide to ideas on exploring the metro area’s cultural offerings
4.3 April 18-21 2024
Interpol at the Zócalo Mexico City
Mexico City’s main plaza, or Zocalo, hosts a concert by indie rock band Interpol on Saturday, April 20 at 7pm. The band was formed in New York, debuting its first album in 2002. Sponsored by the city, and despite being free admittance, it is expected to generate a billion pesos of economic activities for the city center, according to Mexican newspaper El Economista. Events like these tend to get very crowded especially since just about all of Mexico City’s major media outlets have promoted the event. Major issues with security are rare, but take extra precautions against theft.
Hidden Tropics (Trópico Ocultos), an environmental exhibit for kids
Set up for children 6 and up, the exhibition invites children “to discover imaginary characters and stories set among the different ecosystems of Mexico…” such as its deserts, rainforest, seas and more. Granted, the exhibition is in Spanish, but we all know our kids master another language quicker than we parents do.
The exhibit runs through May 24th and takes place at the Centro Cultural Congreso 20 del SNDIF, near the historic center of Tlalpan in the south of the city. Although a little out of the way, this historic center offers very similar charms of colonial architecture and restaurants as the better-known center of Coyoacan, but with fewer people, especially on weekends.
The exhibit is open from 1000 to 1700 with free admission until May 24.
Botanical Garden Day at the National University (UNAM)
Love plants? The National University’s Biology Institute and Botanical Garden offers over 50 activities to celebrate National Botanical Garden Day, including workshops, children’s activities, guided tours, food and in particular, the sale of various cactus species, focusing on those native to Mexico. Botanical Garden Day is April 28, but UNAM gets a jump by starting its activities on April 20. The Botanical Garden at “University City” located at the southern end of Insurgentes Sur is open from 1000 hrs to 1700 hrs, accessible by Metrobus. A schedule of events (in Spanish) can be found at https://diadejardinesbotanicos.ib.unam.mx/conferencias-2024.html
Brutalism architecture in Mexico (Brutalismo arquitectónico en México)
Ever wonder why there are so many box buildings in Mexico City? The Modern Art Museum (Museo de Arte Moderno) has a temporary exhibition dedicated to one of the reasons why most of the modern city appears as it does. Sixty-five buildings are profiled in photographs, plans and models, with information related to the historical, economic and political contexts in which they were created.
https://inba.gob.mx/prensa/19225/brutalismo-arquitectonico-en-mexico-una-mirada-a-la-busqueda-de-la-arquitectura-en-la-segunda-mitad-del-siglo-xx-y-el-xxi
Love for the Earth - Handcraft and Cultural Festival (Festival Cultural y Artesanal. Amor a la Tierra)
From April 21 to 23, the Casa de Risco Museum in San Angel will host a handcraft sale with cultural events to commemorate International Earth Day. The event will not only feature traditional Mexican handcrafts, but also organic products as well as demonstrations on the weaving of “rebozos,” the traditional Mexican shawl. Organizers emphasize that the event is to raise awareness on Mexico’s ecosystems and combating climate change.
The event is held at the the Casa de Risco Cultural Center, located in San Angel along Insurgentes Sur. The former mansion was donated by Isidro Fabela, who was a former revolutionary and diplomat, along with his collection of books, historical documents and much more. Located in front of the San Jacinto Garden the house became a historic monument in 1931 and is best known for the fantastic fountain in the central patio.
The museum has a website here https://www.museocasadelrisco.org.mx/f
Miau (Meow) Fest
The Miau Fest celebrates its 7th edition April 20 and 21, 2024 at Huero Roma Verda in Colonial Roma. The goal of the event is to create a space for artists, entrepreneurs and other for those lover of the feline species. It promotes the adoption of cats, along with the sterilization to reduce the population that must live on the streets. The festival includes events such as cultural happenings, concerts, workshops and more. Entrance to the event is free but a donation of cat food, medicine and more for abandoned felines are requested.
For more information (in Spanish) click here https://www.huertoromaverde.org/event-details/miau-fest-r
Museum in the Spotlight - Los Pinos
Perhaps one of President López Obrador’s major obsessions has been this and the rest of Chapultepec Park. In the 1930s, Los Pinos was made the official residence of the Mexican head of state, abandoning Chapultepec Castle for something “less royal”. It was a former hacienda next to the extent of Chapultepec in the 1930s. However, the complex became completely isolated, with ordinary Mexicans not even allowed to take photographs in its direction.
Even before López Obrador took office, he announced that he would forgo living there in favor of the National Palace, opening Los Pinos to the public as a cultural center. Over the past 6 years, its multiple buildings have hosted concerts, dance, art and much more. Current events at the complex include:
Allied with Corn (Aliado del Maíz) at the Cencalli building - an exhibition about Mexico’s staple for children
Tracks: A review of the work of Pilar Bordes (Huellas: Una revisión de la obra de Pilar Bordes) - an overview of this Mexican artist’s work at Sala Miguel de la Madrid
Cacao’tic - a history of cacao and chocolate in Mexico
The Carlos Chávez School Orchestra will be performing The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart and more on Saturday April 20 and Sunday April 21 both at 1330 hours at the tennis court.
For more information (in Spanish), click here https://lospinos.cultura.gob.mx/