Mexico's outstanding celebration of the arts took place over three weeks in October and is an international cultural event.

Organisers call it the largest cultural festival in Latin America. 

The 33rd Festival was held between 5 - 23 October 2005. The National Arts Council and People's Association of Singapore selected the Singapore Indian Orchestra and Choir to represent Singapore at this prestigious event.  Chitra Shankar was invited as a Special Guest Artist to perform Odissi and Bharatanatyam, to live music by the Orchestra.

Some 2500 artists converge from all over the world are performing in recitals, concerts, plays, ballet, contemporary dance and opera in the city's wonderful colonial buildings and plazas (especially the gilded TeatroJuarez.

History

The Festival has been held in Guanajuato every year since 1972 as a homage to the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes (who wrote Don Quixote)..

The year 2005 marked the 400th anniversary of Don Quixote.  The importance of the Festival was underlined in April 2004 when it received the Max Spanish American Prize for Scenic Arts, awarded by the General Society of Authors and Editors of Spain.

Special invitation

Although a celebration of world culture, the festival organisers historically give special recognition to one particular region of the world and one in Mexico.  The Festival attracts around 150,000 visitors annually.

In 2003, France, Germany and the central Mexican state of Michoacan received special invitations. Last year, it was the turn of South Africa and the state of Baja California .