"Viva La Fiesta"

Viva “La Fiesta de las

IN LIBERTY’S CALENDAR Cinco de Mayo is one of the brightest days. As the Fourth of July is a historical day for the American people, so the Fifth of May (Cinco de Mayo) marks a milestone in the fight of the Mexican people for independence. On that day, in the year 1862, a small army of Mexican soldiers under General Zaragoza defeated a much larger army of French Invad-ers under the haughty Count of Lorencez in the town of Puebla, nestling in the shadow of Popocatépetl.

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Nogales, Sonora, during Fiesta week is the gayest of cities. The people dress in Fiesta costumes and wandering minstrels bring the old songs and music of Mexico into the streets.

La Fiesta! "La Fiesta de las Flores" in Nogales, Arizona and Sonora, May 3-10

Since that day the people of Mexico have celebrated El Cinco de Mayo, as a day of rejoicing.

This year the people of Arizona and our Nogales will join with the people of Sonora and their Nogales in a week-long celebration, beginning Sunday, May 3, and lasting through the following Sunday, commemorating not only El Cinco de Mayo but voicing anew enduring friendship between the two great Republics, and the peoples of those Republics.

The occasion is La Fiesta de las Flores! And the celebration will be observed in all the delightful and gay ways implied by that magic word of Mexico: "Fiesta." There will be music in the streets and singing and dancing, and there will be parades, and the people will wear the gay costumes of Mexico, and all the populace of the two cities of Nogales will give themselves over to the Fiesta, and gaiety will be the watchword.

The good neighbors of Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora, join in the weeklong Fiesta de las Flores which begins May 3. The two towns are hosts at the celebration, which is typical of the Fiestas of Mexico, and which attracts visitors from far and near. (Photos by Chuck Abbott.)

The Mariachi Orchestra of the Cavern Cafe in Nogales, Sonora, is famed throughout the west coast of Mexico. These fine musicians, dressed in colorful charro costumes, bring the songs and music of old Mexico.

The Fiesta de las Flores will officially begin Sunday, May 3, with a colorful parade in which will be entered scores of floats, numerous horseback groups, several musical organi zations and various marching units. The parade will be led by Governors Anselmo Macias of Sonora and Sidney P. Osborn of Arizona, both ardent supporters of the Good Neighbor policy.

After the opening parade a gala program of bullfights, horse races, rodeos, cockfights, flower battles, dances and serenades will get under way. A colorful exhibit of Mexican arts and crafts will also be held in connection with the Fiesta.

Leading political figures in Mexico City have promised that the famous Mexico City police band would be in Nogales for a series of concerts during the Fiesta. The band, with nearly 100 pieces, is led by Velina Preza and has often appeared in the United States. One of the highlights of the celebration will be Good Neighbor Day on May 5, Mexico's Independence day. A ceremony will take place on the international boundary line and will be participated in by numerous dignitaries. Fourteen governors have been invited to take part and efforts are being made to bring high digni taries from Washington and Mexico City to the border for this occasion.

Governors of the following states have been invited to participate in the Good Neighbor Day program: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, California, Nevada, Utah, Sonora, Sinaloa, Chihuahua, Durango, Nayarit, Jalisco and Lower California.

Following the Good Neighbor ceremonies a patriotic parade carrying out the theme of Mexico's Independence, will wend its way through the downtown streets of Ambos No gales (the two cities of Nogales).

Several bullfights will be on the Fiesta program and officials are seeking the services of some of the best matadores in the business. Negotiations have already been started to bring to the border such outstanding matadores as Lorenza Garza and Fermin Rivera (Armillita), both tremendously popular with Mexican bull fight fans. Bulls have been purchased from the famous San Mateo Hacienda in the state of Zacatecas. The San Mateo breed is considered the finest of all and bulls from this hacienda frequently are used in the bullring in Mexico City.

Some outstanding rodeo performers from the United States will pit their skill against daring Mexican horsemen in the rodeo events. The Mexican performers will be brought from

Candidates for the honor of being queen at La Fiesta de las Flores in the two cities of Nogales are these pretty young ladies: Left to right, Dehlia Holler of Nogales, Arizona; Delia Siqueros, of Nogales, Sonora; and Blanca Saldamando, also of Nogales, Sonora.

Southern Mexico and all will wear typical Charro costumes during the contests. The services of the famous Becerril brothers of Mexico City, famed trick ropers, are also being sought.

Fast horses from Arizona and Sonora will be matched in the racing events.

"Galleros" have already started training their birds for the cockfights, winners of which will receive large cash awards.

A fireworks display will be staged the night of May 5 as will street battles with flowers, serpentine and confetti. Various carnival attractions have been arranged for entertainment.

Both cities of Nogales will be gaily decorated during the entire celebration, forming a colorful background for the parades and street events. Reigning over social functions will be the official Fiesta queen, winner of a spirited contest that has been under way for two months. Seeking the coveted honor are three pretty girls-Dehlia Holler, Blanca Saldamando and Delia Siqueros. Approximately 10,000 visitors converged on the border during the 1941 Fiesta and officials are striving to bring twice that number to Nogales to witness the colorful events to be held during the 1942 celebration. All in all, La Fiesta de las Flores promises to be a national and international event. In these days, when friendship between nations is a vital and sacred and a tremendous thing, it is good to see the people of two cities of two states of two republics get together in celebration of the Independence day of one of those republics and say to each other: Viva La Fiesta! Viva La Independencia! Viva Mexico... R. C.

Bulls have been purchased from the famous San Mateo Hacienda in the State of Zacatecas for the bullfights. s. This hacienda produces the finest bulls in Mexico. Bullfighting is the great colorful and national sport of Mexico, and few sports are as exciting to watch. (Photos by Max Kegley.)