This year’s 2016 Todos Santos Mango Festival was held on Friday, July 29th through Sunday July 31st, featuring a wide variety of events, activities, and gourmet mango dishes. Beginning in the barrio San Ignacio, the Festival started with displays from local artisan’s and vendors, followed by ballet dancing of all ages through out the evening. At 9pm, the new Miss Mango Fest Queen was crowned. This year’s winner was Queen Anahi, who had the crowned passed to her from last year’s winner, Queen Alondra. On Saturday, we saw soccer games, mountain bike racing, and foot racing, along with more dancing and music.
On Sunday, there was a parade of horsemen, or “Cabalgata”, that rode in from El Pescadero and from “La Muela”, ending in the Barrio San Ignacio. Also on Sunday was the 3rd annual Festival Gastronomico Del Mango (my favorite!), in which local Todos Santos chefs made all imaginable types of delicious gourmet dishes using mangos, along with a demonstration on making “mangate”, a sweet mango concentrate popular with locals.
This year’s event was sponsored by el Instituto Sudcaliforniano de Cultura, La Secretaria de Educacion Publica, INSUDE, DIF, CANIRAC La Paz, and the Secretary of Tourism, with the objective to promote national and local tourism.
Photos: Courtesy of Alondra Cota Duran