Basin set for Mexican Independence Day

Festivities planned in Mattawa, Royal City

GRANT COUNTY — Residents in a few county towns will be holding celebrations this weekend, in honor of Mexico's independence from Spain nearly two centuries ago.

The Catholic churches in Mattawa and Royal City have organized programs in their towns Sunday, in honor of the day on Sept. 16, 1810 when a Catholic priest gathered the townspeople for a call of Independence from Spain.

That cry for independence, El Grito, will be celebrated at Our Lady of the Desert Catholic Church in Mattawa beginning at 10 a.m. Sunday. The day-long celebration will include food, traditional Mexican dancing and family dancing. Manuel Ornelas, who is helping to organize the event, said officials will also crown a queen of the festivities.

A program to commemorate the 195th anniversary of Mexican independence will begin at 1 p.m. at the church on 301 E. Eighth Street. At 2 p.m. organizers will present the candidates for queen of the festivities who will be crowned at 4:30 p.m.

The festival will also include dancing and mariachi music throughout the afternoon. Programs honoring that cry of independence, and also honoring the flag and national anthem of Mexico, will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Ornelas said the event, which has been celebrated for the last five years, has been well received in Mattawa.

"Even though we are far from our home country," Ornelas said, "there is something to celebrate here as well."

Officials from St. Michael's Parish Catholic Church in Royal City will begin festivities with mass at the Lions Park Pavilion at 11 a.m. Sunday, followed by a parade down Camelia Street.

Mariachi music will play in the park from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. followed by live music from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The festivities will also feature a horse show and talent show, and Mexican food will be available for sale.

"We are expecting a lot of people," said organizer Anna Calle, "hoping and praying everything goes well."