Background of the San Marcos Fair
In November 1827, in response to repeated demands from the City Council, but also in recognition of the growing importance of the blessed city, the Zacatecas legislature to which the City Council belonged, granted permission to the City of Aguascalientes to hold a commercial fair annually, starting in 1828, which began to be held between November 5 and 20. The City Council, which had long entertained the idea of making its city the site of a lavish and lively fair that would compete with that of San Juan de los Lagos, became enthusiastic and immediately began construction of an improvised Parián. The location was chosen (a small square in front of the Temple of San Diego).
From the beginning, there was every intention of quickly erecting a full-fledged building; however, the only thing missing was money. Therefore, in the extraordinary session of February 17, 1828, the city council members decided to resort to the "generosity" of Don Anastacio Terán, a wealthy merchant who lent the municipality $8,000 pesos payable over a period of 3 years and bearing interest at 5 percent per year. With the money in hand, the works began. The City Council wanted to give the fair the "greatest boost" possible so that it would be "useful" for the neighborhood and as an "ornament" for the entire city.
However, once construction began, doubt arose as to whether the land on which it was built was owned and operated by this municipality or by a private individual, or by the Convent of San Diego; after investigation, it turned out that part of the land, a quadrangle measuring 58.5 by 87.5 yards, had been donated to the city by Don Pablo de la Rosa in 1806, although under the condition that "it serve precisely as a public square and that under no circumstances be attempted to change its purpose by occupying it with stalls or markets of any kind"; therefore, no Parián could be built, as it would violate the will of Don Pablo de la Rosa. The city council believed that with the construction of a Parián, the condition of the donation was not violated, since the small square would remain in place; However, De la Rosa's heirs made it known that they had a different point of view and were willing to litigate, so both parties agreed to "formalize transaction deeds." Thus, the municipality cleared its rights to the property and was in a position to "act" on it as it saw fit.
In October 1828, when the fair was just a few days away, the City Council decided it was necessary to raise money from wherever it could. So, Don Anastacio Terán borrowed money again, and he provided $2,700 pesos under identical conditions. Only then could the first section of the Parián be ready, which welcomed merchants who arrived at the festival on November 5, 1828. The first fair was a huge success; the attendance was large, although not very well-funded. Merchants were not lacking either, but their funds were limited and the range of merchandise they offered was limited. The large merchants of Guadalajara, San Luis Potosí, and Zacatecas preferred not to attend, as did the representatives of foreign firms operating in the region.
After the festivities were over, the city council charged Tomás López y Pimentel and Francisco Chávez with finding tenants for the already available premises in the Parián. The first to arrive was Felipe Nieto, a landowner who leased two premises. Along with the shops he had been occupying since the fair, it was stipulated that "every time the rent of the other shops in the Parián goes up, he alone would get a third more."
Before the end of 1828, the commissioners had leased almost all of the available premises, with a total of 14 merchants; therefore, the City Council would have available $1,483.3 pesos for the rent of the premises, a juicy sum that would allow it to partially amortize the debts and begin new works. El Parián soon revealed itself as a bustling commercial center and the site of a promising fair. However, while money was scarce at first, now the city council received many offers of financing, in conjunction with Miguel Berauzarán, who lent $800 pesos.
El Parián remained the fair's headquarters for a couple more decades, however, it had grown so much and the number of merchants and attendees was such that it was necessary to find a new space. In the mid-19th century, the fair moved to the Jardín de San Marcos and the decision was made to hold it in April, coinciding with the patron saint festivities of the San Marcos neighborhood. Thus, the fair found its home, which it maintains to this day, offering a more dignified place for people to relax, since a wide, tree-lined promenade would provide a level of comfort to the fairgoers that the Parián could not offer.
In 2018 the National Fair of San Marcos celebrated its 190th anniversary. Throughout its history, the fair has been cancelled six times, the first time was from 1837 to 1840, due to moral concern about the vices and excesses that the festival brought for some, the second in 1847 due to the North American intervention, the fourth was due to a typhoid pandemic in 1914, the fifth in 2009 due to the global crisis caused by the H1N1 flu and the sixth in 2020 and 2021 due to the Coronavirus pandemic that affected the entire world.
Today, the celebration of the patron saint of Aguascalientes, the evangelist Saint Mark, is a holiday of international scope, where tradition and modernity coexist, as well as the resilience to adapt to each era, being a colorful reminder of our cultural heritage that year after year makes us cry out from the depths of our hearts:
Long live Aguascalientes!
