Lakeside’s first extended celebration of 2015 will be Jocotepec’s fiestas patronales honoring El Señor del Monte. This year’s festivities are scheduled for January 6 through 18.
The celebrations get under way on the evening of January 6 with the customary procession to the parish church led by civil authorities and leaders of sponsoring trade guilds, continuing inside with the annual renewal of a pledge of faith to the Lord of the Mount.
Daily spiritual activities begin at dawn with rosary devotions, picking up again at 6 p.m. with a procession preceding evening Mass.
Other happenings that will draw the local populace and hundreds of outside visitors include a bustling street fair wrapped around the center of town, bull-riding contests, cock fights, cultural events, high decibel musical spectacles and gigantic nighttime fireworks displays.
The celebration culminates with the town pilgrimage held on the third Sunday of the month. The image of El Señor del Monte is brought out of the church at 4 p.m., to be paraded around the center of town accompanied by a throng of the devoted followers. As manifestations of faith, some will make the long trek on their knees, others will walk along barefooted and blindfolded, and many will carry elaborately decorated candles.