Diez y Seis

Austin Events and Festivals

The event also serves as a subsequent celebration of Mexican culture and traditions with music, dancing, and feasting.

When Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the village priest of Dolores (affectionately known now as the "Father of Mexico") learned on the evening of September 15, 1810 that the (up to that point) secret movement to prepare for Mexican independence had been discovered by authorities who were sending troops to arrest him, he assembled the villagers the next morning and gave his impassioned cry ("El Grito" or "El Grito de Dolores") for Mexican Independence and a call to arms.

Although he would eventually be captured and executed, and the revolution would take 11 years to be successful, September 16th is celebrated as Mexico's Independence Day.

2011 is the 201st anniversary of Diez y Seis. The event has been marked formally by Fiestas Patrias of Austin with a two day fiesta each September since the late 1970s. It also corresponds nicely with September being National Hispanic Month.

The festival takes place at Fiesta Gardens along the shores of Lady Bird Lake in east Austin.

2011 Diez y Seis Austin Highlights and Schedule

Live Music - Includes numerous Tejano, Conjunto, and Nortena bands. The headliners are: Gary Hobbs and Ricky Naranjo y Los Gamblers. There will also be traditional dance performances from Ballet Folklorico.

Food Booths - Includes both basic food booth fare like hamburgers and barbecue as well as more traditional Mexican and Mexican-American offerings.

Family Attractions - The event features numerous arts and crafts booths, games, face painting, etc.

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