ALAMOS, Mexico — This town deep in the south of the Mexican state of Sonora puts on its finest each January for the Dr. Alfonso Ortiz Tirado Cultural Festival. Excellent performances of classical, jazz and Latin music throughout the day and evening are great for group tours.
The festival draws performers and audience members from all over.
One evening our group of U.S. travel writers touring Sonora encountered some street musicians, playing for tips and for the love of the music.
See (and hear) for yourself:
Alamos is one of Mexico’s Pueblos Mágicos or Magic Towns. The program, begun in 2001 by Mexico’s Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with state and municipal governments, honors towns that are magical for tourists because of their architecture, history and legends.
There’s a great, laid-back feel in Alamos. During the day, as you walk down its narrow cobblestone streets and see all the Spanish colonial arches you get a sense of the magic of Alamos.
But in the evening, during a festival, the magic of Alamos really hits all your senses. People are strolling, laughing, dancing, talking, eating, listening to music and having a grand time. It’s magic, pure and simple.
