Last Thursday was the first night of the big event for entreamigos, which hosted a reception for the children and adults who had contributed their collaborative artwork for the subasta (auction) to raise funds for the organization. The children's parents and siblings were also invited to celebrate and see the pieces the artists had created around this year's theme: the things I am grateful for in life.
The gallery of children's art opened to rave reviews as the young artists showed their work to their families.
After the parents had taken a thorough tour of the art displayed throughout the building, we all trooped outside to the big center courtyard where rows of chairs were arranged before the stage.
The first ten rows or so were reserved for the children who had participated.
Behind them sat proud parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and brothers and sisters.
One by one, the children were called by name to ascend the steps to the stage and receive their congratulatory certificates. Here is Angie, who turned 7 on February 3rd, and was my partner on the Art is My Life Box.
And here is Antü, age 10, my partner on the blue Friendship Desk and the Viva México mirror.
After each and every one of the one hundred and twenty children had received their personal thanks, the entertainment began.
In Mexico, everybody loves a clown. This pair, in the tradition of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, had the crowd laughing and clapping from the moment they stepped on stage.
Not only the children, either.
Then we all had brownies and horchata, a delicious creamy rice milk with cinnamon. This adult liked that, too.
On Friday afternoon, the open house and auction preview for the public was followed by the Children's Parade down main street. I snapped some photos of the imps in costume in the entreamigos staging area.
Then I skedaddled down Avenida Tercer Mundo to Maria's Restaurant to have a glass of wine and wait for the parade to arrive.
Which it did, in fine fashion.
Our stiltwalkers (who first learned their skill from Cirque du Soleil trainers for the entreamigos auction event Circo de los Niños two years ago) walked from the community center all the way to the Malecon, which is a mile or so...and some of them walked all the way back on stilts, too.
The whole town turned out, and everyone seemed to enjoy the parade. How could you not?
At the Malecon, the paraders gathered for a celebration and a cheer, surrounded by admiring fans and spectators.
And now, as this post is already altogether too long, I will leave you with this photo of Antü and La Piñata. You'll have to wait until Part Two for news about the Main Event...and for photos of the art we created and the art I bought at the auction.
See you next week. (And don't forget there are only eleven more days to vote again for San Pancho Vida as your favorite Mexico Blog. Thanks a bazillion to those who've been voting!)
Oh so much fun, wonderful community involvement!
Look for pictures of the art, it is so much fun to do art projects with kids, I used to do it a lot with Grandkids, neices, nephews, miss it!
HugsJeanie
Posted by: Jeanie @ the owl house | March 10, 2013 at 07:29 PM
Thank you Candice, for helping record in both words and pictures, the magical evening held in San Pancho!
Posted by: Bob Farmer | March 09, 2013 at 03:57 PM
Wow, wow, wow!!! Such a beautiful event!
Your photos were wonderful! Loved the makeup, the costumes and of course ALL the happy children and their families!
Those stilt walkers blew me away! So talented!
Loved this post Candice - thanks!
Posted by: Jeanne | March 08, 2013 at 10:28 PM
Such wonderful pictures, this community really knows how to celebrate life!
Posted by: Char | March 08, 2013 at 06:45 AM