Mexico City Alebrije Parade

The Mexico City Alebrije Parade is an annual event to honor Mexican handcrafts and folk art, especially a hard kind of papier-mâché called “cartonería” and the creation of fantastic figures with it called “alebrijes.” Alebrijes are chimera-like creatures credited to artisan Pedro Linares painted in bright colors.

The giant creatures are accompanied by musicians, clowns, people in costume and more, giving the event a Carnival-like atmosphere.

[1][2] The parade and contest is organized by the Museo de Arte Popular, in collaboration with the federal and city secretariats of culture, the authorities of the historic center of Mexico City, the Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes, the Associación de Amigos del MAP and the BBDO company.

[1][3] Its purpose is a homage to Mexican handcrafts and folk art, especially cartonería (a kind of very hard paper mache) in order to restore value to it in modern society.

[4][5] In the spring or early summer, the Museo de Art Popular puts out an open call for participants, inviting individual artists and artisans along with museums, galleries, hotels, restaurants, businesses and public and private institutions.

[11] The musical event has had judges such as Silvia Navarrete González, Betty Luisa Zanolli Fabila and Gustavo Rivero Weber.

[2][3] The reason that alebrijes were chosen for the event is that their wild shapes and colors create surprise for both Mexicans and foreigners, according to Museo de Arte Popular director Walther Boelsterly.

[12][15] In 2010, the alebrijes included the visages of Miguel Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende, José María Morelos y Pavón, Francisco Villa, Emiliano Zapata, Victoriano Huerta, Porfírio Díaz, Agustín de Iturbide and others.

The difference with this event is that the alebrije have moving robotic parts, lights and more, but with the same purpose of promoting Mexican handcrafts.

[10][20] The monumental alebrijes of the parade are based on those credited to artisan Pedro Linares, who began creating fantastic, chimera-like, brightly colored creatures after dreaming them while ill.

They generally combine elements of real and fantastic animals as well as humans including faces, wings, horns, hoofs, multiple heads, tails and more.

[1][3][5] Mexican sculptor Ricardo Linares has participated with creations such as a Chinese dragon with a snail’s head, eagle claws and octopus tentacles.

[5] The names given to the creations are generally fanciful such as El malévolo (The Evil One), Señor Mariposa (Mr. Butterfly), “Por si las moscas” (For if the flies), “Jejete,” “Viaje alegre al Viento” (The Wind Travels Happy) and Dragón de la Esperanza (Dragon of Hope) as well as names from Nahuatl such as Tepitecac, Xolotl and Ehecatl.

Alebrije named Alebrije Luchador at the 2009 event in the Zocalo
Folk dance group "Aguas Vivas" at the 2009 parade
Participants pulling one of the alebrijes ridden by participant in Aztec costume
Animation clip about alebrijes and the parade by the Museo de Arte Popular in collaboration with Wiki Learning, Tec de Monterrey
Alebrije named Coleccionista de Miradas or Gaze Collector
Alebrije named Plumas de Serpiente (Serpent Feathers) on display on Paseo de la Reforma in 2011