Reasons to Celebrate

By Lookout Staff

March for the U.S. Constitution, then celebrate Mexican Independence Day back to back on Saturday.

The Constitution Day parade celebrates the document that contains the country's fundamental laws, which was signed by the delegates to the Constitutional Convention on Sept. 17, 1787. (The anniversary is actually on Sunday.)

The parade, which was started seven years ago by Ronn S. Pickard, will begin at 11 a.m. at the Civic Center and head south down Main Street to Pier Avenue.

There will be live music by the Santa Monica High School Viking Band and copies of the constitution will be handed out. Food provided by several local business and civic groups will be served at the end of the parade.

If you hurry, at noon at the other end of town, Virginia Park's Thelma Terry Center will host a "Viva la Independencia!" celebration commemorating Mexico's Independence from Spain on September 16, 1810. That was the day Miguel Hidalgo y Castilla, a Catholic priest in the village of Dolores, rang the church bell and ordered the arrest of the city's native Spaniards.

"My friends and countrymen, neither the king nor tributes exist for us any longer," Hildalgo proclaimed.

The celebration at the Thelma Terry Center, 2200 Virginia Avenue, highlights local musical groups Los Pochos, Mariachi Juvenil de Mexico, singer Natally, a Mexican dance presentation by Baile Folklorico Herencia Mexicana and rope dancer Felix Lopez. The celebration, which runs until 5 p.m., also features traditional food and art.