Old El Paso

September 16 marks 200 years of Mexican Independence and Mexicans around the world will celebrate.

 In the early hours of September 16, 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a priest in the small town of Dolores, Guanajuato, rang the church bell to gather the townspeople. He called for the people of Mexico to rise up against the Spanish Crown, thus initiating Mexico's War of Independence. The country did not achieve independence until 1821, but this event, known as the Grito de Dolores is commemorated every year in town squares across Mexico.

 Mexican people celebrate Mexican Independence Day with a fiesta, which is a party or festival. The celebrating begins on September 15 with crowds of people gathering in the zocalos (or town meeting places) of cities, towns, and villages. In Mexico City a huge square is decorated with Mexican flags, flowers and lights of red, white and green. The President of the Republic rings the same bell as Hidalgo rang in 1810 and fireworks light up the sky. People sell confetti, whistles, horns, paper-mache helmets, and toys in the colors of red, white and green.

And of course any Mexican Independence Day celebration involves sharing delicious Mexican foods such as burritos and fajitas, and traditional Independence Day favourites; pozole, a soup made of dried hominy (a type of corn without the germ) and pork, and chiles en nogada, large chillies stuffed with meat and dried fruits and covered with walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds 

September 16 marks 200 years of Mexican Independence and Mexicans around the world will celebrate.

In the early hours of September 16, 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a priest in the small town of Dolores, Guanajuato, rang the church bell to gather the townspeople. He called for the people of Mexico to rise up against the Spanish Crown, thus initiating Mexico's War of Independence. The country did not achieve independence until 1821, but this event, known as the Grito de Dolores is commemorated every year in town squares across Mexico.

Mexican people celebrate Mexican Independence Day with a fiesta, which is a party or festival. The celebrating begins on September 15 with crowds of people gathering in the zocalos (or town meeting places) of cities, towns, and villages. In Mexico City a huge square is decorated with Mexican flags, flowers and lights of red, white and green. The President of the Republic rings the same bell as Hidalgo rang in 1810 and fireworks light up the sky. People sell confetti, whistles, horns, paper-mache helmets, and toys in the colors of red, white and green.

And of course any Mexican Independence Day celebration involves sharing delicious Mexican foods such as burritos and fajitas, and traditional Independence Day favourites; pozole, a soup made of dried hominy (a type of corn without the germ) and pork, and chiles en nogada, large chillies stuffed with meat and dried fruits and covered with walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds

  Old El Paso is offering you the chance to win one of 6 fantastic prize packs. Create a fabulous Mexican feast for your family with this hamper that's choc-full of Old El Paso products, as well as a recipe booklet filled with great Mexican recipes. Ole!

Enter your details below by the 10th September to be in to win.