Flags everywhere, seasonal menus, louder music and by the night of the 15th, entire plazas waiting for the same moment. Here’s the story behind the shout, and why Mérida is a particularly good place to feel it.
Lectura: 5 minutos
If you visit Mexico in September, you will notice something almost immediately. Flags everywhere. Streets in green, white and red. Music louder. And by the night of September 15, entire plazas are waiting for the same moment.
Then comes the shout:
September 16 is Mexico’s Independence Day but it’s about more than a date in a history book. It’s a moment when history, food, music and everyday life all come together. Experience it in Mérida, and you get a particularly colorful side of Mexico.
01 A plan that did not stay secret
The year was 1810. Mexico was still part of New Spain, and a group of people was secretly organizing a movement against Spanish rule. Miguel Hidalgo, a priest from the town of Dolores, was part of it.
Then the authorities found out. Waiting was no longer an option. In the early hours of September 16, Hidalgo rang the church bell and called people to join the uprising a moment known as El Grito de Dolores, the start of Mexico’s struggle for independence.
02 Plot twist: Mexico was not independent yet
Here’s the detail many visitors don’t expect: Mexico did not become independent on September 16, 1810. That was only the beginning — the struggle continued for over a decade, until independence was finally achieved in 1821.
So why celebrate the 16th? Because it’s the moment the movement began.
September 16 was not the finish line. It was the starting gun.
03 Then why does everyone celebrate on the 15th?
Although Independence Day is officially the 16th, the biggest celebration begins the night before. Every September 15, people gather in plazas across the country for El Grito — the President from the National Palace, governors and local authorities everywhere else.
Then come the bells, the cheers, the fireworks and, of course, the food. By the time the 16th officially arrives, Mexico has already been celebrating for hours.
Bells, cheers, music and fireworks mark the turn from the 15th to the 16th.
04 Come hungry
Mexican Independence celebrations aren’t exactly subtle, and food is a major part of it. September menus tend to include:
- Pozole
- Tostadas
- Tamales
- Traditional Mexican snacks
- Chiles en nogada
Pozole: green, white and red the season’s signature dish.
05 What does September feel like in Mérida?
This is where the celebration becomes a reason to travel. Mérida’s historic center is made for walking — plazas, colonial architecture, museums and restaurants all concentrated around the heart of the city.
Picture the Plaza Grande ringed with flags, traditional food nearby, people gathering to celebrate. And you don’t need a holiday to see Mérida’s culture — the city runs a weekly program that includes the Vaquería Yucateca, traditional trova, performances in Santa Lucía, video mapping at the Cathedral, Pok Ta Pok, Noche Mexicana and Mérida en Domingo.
September may give you a reason to visit. Mérida gives you reasons to stay a little longer.
06 Make a weekend out of it
If you’re already coming for the celebrations, don’t make it a one-night trip. Start in the Historic Center: Plaza Grande, the Cathedral of San Ildefonso, Casa de Montejo, and Yucatecan food along the way. It’s what the official tourism guide points to as the best place to feel Mérida’s history and gastronomy.
Then go beyond the celebration: walk Paseo de Montejo, try a marquesita, catch a cultural performance, or use Mérida as your starting point for the rest of Yucatán. That’s when September 16 stops feeling like a date and starts feeling like a way to understand Mexico.
