Jerez

JEREZ

MAGICAL, AUTHENTIC MEXICO

The culture of Mexico has successfully spread across almost all of the western world, but if you really want to sample it at its authentic best, you should head to the town of Jerez, in the state of Zacatecas, where centuries old traditions still play a huge part in daily life.

This is a place where cowboys still stroll the streets, where marching bands serenade people ambling in town squares, where all roads lead to the central churches, and where normal life completely stops for ten days every spring as the town erupts for the magnificent Easter festival.

It is little wonder Jerez became a designated Magical Town (Pueblo Mágico) in 2007. This is Mexico at its most magically Mexican.

Jerez—officially known as Jerez de García Salinas to distinguish it from the municipality of the same name—was founded in the mid 16 th century, when it lay on the road that linked Zacatecas, around 35 miles to the northeast, to Guadelajara,

about 180 miles kilometres south. This was the land trod by the indigenous Huachichil and Zacatecos, but early missionaries soon built churches in the area, which drew more and more settlers. They in turn began to work the land and begin the city’s rich agricultural traditions that endure to this day.

The town is located in a valley, with the Sierra de Cardos looming on the horizon, and surrounded by fruit trees and dairy farms. While the corn and beans tend to be exported elsewhere, plenty of locally grown peaches, apples and apricots are available to sample in shops and restaurants in Jerez. The same applies to the fresh cheese, queso fresco, which makes its way from the cattle ranches to the top of tortillas at great speed. It is usually only a matter of a few days in production and the creamy taste is especially good when eaten close to its source.

Other local specialities include traditional pork snacks—tosticarnes or duritos—bathed in chilli sauce. They are best enjoyed with a cold beer, a sangria or a refreshing michelada, which combines beer with lime juice, salt and various spices to give it a real kick.

For most of the year, Jerez is not over-run with tourists, which usually means you can find places to stay and to eat. Visitors and locals alike will spend most of their time in the historical centre, where the focus is the main plaza Jardin Paez. This is a beautiful, clean park, with numerous tastefully coloured, iron benches surrounding a decorative central fountain. Old men play dominoes, or stop for a shoeshine at one of the stands dotted around the garden. There is also a bandstand, and if the tranquillity is ever threatened it is only by the local musicians who strike up in song—the traditional tamborazo sets—particularly in the evenings and at weekends.

Sierra de Cardos

Jerez is still very much a thriving, authentic community and the shops and small market stalls around the square are a hive of activity. You can pick up some tremendous souvenirs here, including handmade belts, leather sandals, or artful woodcarvings. There are also a number of workshops still in the historical centre, where local artists fashion jewellery from the gold and silver found in the surrounding mountains, or mould clay into elegant earthenware.

The town’s two main churches, both only a block or so from the Jardin Paez, have played a major role in everyday life since they were first consecrated. Both the Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception and the Santuario de la Soledad are exquisite inside and out. You shouldn’t need to hang around too long, particularly on a Saturday, to see the splendour and fun of a charro wedding.

The Teatro Hinojosa is also very much worth a look. The building dates from the era of Porfirio Díaz, the soldier and politician who served seven terms as President of Mexico between 1884–1911. Its high windows peer over the street below from behind a wrought-iron balcony, while at street level, a row of arches guard the carved wooden doors, flanked by extravagant lanterns. The interior design is equally superb: the immense stone arches contribute to the building’s excellent acoustics, while the enraptured audience sits below a vast candelabra. The whole project was a triumph of collective enthusiasm and generosity, with local residents volunteering both their labour and funds to assist its completion. It stands as testament to their commitment, and performers—both musical and theatrical—still use the space regularly to this day. Look out for tickets.

Jerez’s ambiance and the region’s natural beauty has also inspired numerous other cultural figures, chief among them the poet Ramón López

Velarde, who was born in the town in 1888. His former family home is now a museum, which showcases his work and recreates the conditions in which he lived. The museum receives excellent reviews even from people unfamiliar with Velarde’s output.

Although Jerez is an attractive year-round destination, everyone should try to sample at least one Feria de la Primavera, or spring festival, which takes place over the 10 days leading up to Easter. The tradition began in 1824 and has taken place annually ever since. It is a celebration of all of Mexican culture, with rodeos, music and feasting, as well as plenty of tequila being shared around. It reaches its climax on Easter Saturday, with a ceremonial burning of an effigy of Judas. It is not to be missed—just like the town in which it takes place.