Last week was a big deal in the village because of the fair in honor of its patron saint, San Pedro. It was packed with fun activities, especially the beauty pageant. Out of the 3,000+ villagers, only four young women participated, and one of them looked like she was there reluctantly, barely smiling. BF was chosen as a judge, and I got a front-row seat just behind him.
You might wonder how long it takes to pick a winner from just four contestants. The event was supposed to start at 7 PM, and we arrived on time, but the music was unbearably loud, so we left for a bit. The actual show didn’t kick off until around 8:30 PM, and it went on past midnight. The girls gave it their all, and it was quite adorable. However, during their costume changes, an overly enthusiastic cowboy provided musical interludes that felt more torturous than entertaining. These performances dragged on for five hours and were painful enough that I only documented 12-second clips of them.
Sitting up front, we couldn’t hear the crowd’s reaction, but the lack of response whenever the singer asked for feedback was telling. He must have been paid per song because he continued singing even when the contestants were ready to go back on stage.
Now, about the show itself. It began with the young ladies presenting traditional local dresses, followed by a cowgirl-themed dance routine that resembled some sort of cheerleading performance. They skipped the swimsuit segment probably because the parents didn’t allow it. My favorite part was the display of flamboyant costumes representing Mayan culture. It was so festive and original that some people watched from outside the crowded venue for the entire five hours. Admission was free, but space was tight.
The contestants then changed into evening gowns, gave short speeches, and answered questions. The speeches, though memorized and not very original, had been practiced for weeks. It was their first time speaking in public, and despite their shy demeanor and trouble smiling or standing straight, they were genuinely touching. They spoke about simple dreams, like becoming a secretary or an accountant, and enjoyed pastimes like listening to music or reading, rather than surfing the internet or following fashion trends. Their favorite food was hen soup. Even though the questions were rehearsed, the girls’ authenticity shone through.
The show mixed American pageant style with traditional elements and loud music. Four boys also took the stage, dancing to a Spanish cover of “Lady in Red,” unknowingly competing for the village’s first-ever Mister San Pedro title. They embraced the surprise and performed admirably. The queen from last year crowned the new queen, and then she and her boyfriend, who coincidentally won the king title, shared a moment to a Spanish cover of “My Heart Will Go On.”
The festivities continued for four more days, featuring events like the “pato encebado,” where villagers try to decapitate a duck tied upside down while on horseback. The winner takes the duck home for a meal. The fun also included a rodeo, which felt straight out of the Old West with cowboys and cattle breeders. Despite laws against visible firearms, people ignored them, and it wasn’t unusual to see four gun racks at a soccer game. We left before the crowd got too drunk and started shooting in the air.
By 5:30 PM, the rodeo, which was supposed to start at 2 PM, was just beginning. Bullfighters said a quick prayer and then got on with the show. There were dances, more live performances, and carnival-style shooting stands typical of small-town fairs. I was impressed by the fair’s scale for such a small village.
We used the fair as an opportunity to meet more villagers and talk about our land development. BF’s role as a judge made him a local celebrity, leading to spontaneous invitations to meals and strangers greeting him by name.
How was your week?