The Fiesta Patronal of San José

When it is

The feast day of Saint Joseph falls on March 19, but San José de Gracia holds its patronal celebration in May, during the first ten days of the month. In 2027 that runs from Saturday, May 1 through Monday, May 10.

Check the official program before you book travel.

What happens

The week is built around the Parroquia de San José and the Plaza Principal in front of it. There are Masses and processions through the streets of the centro, music in the plaza, fireworks, and a long run of regional bandas. For those ten days the plaza is the center of everything.

A week of coming home

Like much of Los Altos de Jalisco, San José de Gracia has a large community living in the United States, and the fiesta is when many of them return. Expect full streets, visiting paisanos, and families who time their visit for May.

If your family comes from here, this is also the best week to ask the elders about the old photos and stories. The Crónica collects them.

The rest of the fiesta calendar

The patronal feast is the largest, but not the only one. The town's chronicler, Taurino Arámbula Vázquez, records a fuller calendar in Rincón Alteño: Santa Eduwiges on October 16, San Juan in June, and the peregrinaciones that bring the surrounding ranchos into town, with charreadas, jaripeos, and bulls. Semana Santa and the Fiestas Patrias in September round out the year. See every date on the festivals page.

Planning your visit

San José de Gracia is about 95 km from Guadalajara, and most visitors arrive by car through Tepatitlán. Directions and bus options are on getting here. Lodging fills up during fiesta week, so book a few weeks ahead. See where to stay, and where to eat once you are here.