Mexico City Entertainment

Mexico City Entertainment

Ballet Folklórico de Mexico

This grand spectacular, draws on styles and themes from all over Mexico. Choreographer Amalia Hernandez, once a famous dancer herself, continuously revises routines in an effort to modernize the movements, while not taking away from the Mexican nostalgia. It is a festival of colour and movement that separates itself from the tackiness which could easily accompany these kinds of performances.

• Wednesday performance at 20:30 hrs
• Sunday performances at 9:30 & 20:30

Mariachis at Plaza Garibaldi

A truly Mexican experience is to be serenaded by a band of Mariachis, neatly dressed in traditional getup. In the Plaza Garibaldi come 8pm, you will find plenty of groups waiting for their chance to entertain onlookers willing to part with 50 pesos or so. But it is free to walk around the plaza and listen to Mariachis in full swing, and Plaza Garibaldi is a great place for a shot of Tequila or two with many drinking establishments lining the perimeter.

Mexican Wrestling / Lucha Libre

Citizens of Mexico City flock to the two Lucha Libre Arenas with cult-like passion, making a night at the fights great fun while taking you out amongst the people. The fighters are professional acrobats, and the crowds become part of the action with funny and relentless name calling. Most wrestlers wear masks and the greatest insult is for this mask to be pulled off to reveal their identity. Some say this is a throw-back to when the Aztec warriors fought in masks to instill fear into their enemies. The bouts are usually between good and evil, played out by heroes and villains (rudos). Every Mexican child has their favorite luchador (wrestler) and souvenir masks are big business in Mexico. Warning: If you are seated in the first couple of rows you may be closer to the action than you think, sometimes the fun spills out into the audience.

Admission can cost between $40-$150 pesos, there are two main arenas: The Arena Coliseo and Arena Mexico also known as The Cathedral of Luch Libre.

Arena Coliseo

Cnr República de Perú & República de Chile, Historic Centre
Metro stations: Allende or Lagunilla
Sunday afternoons

Arena México

(better for the big-name wrestlers)

Aztec Stadium / Estadio Azteca

Built in 1966 for the 1968 Olympic Games, the Estadio Azteca remains the largest soccer stadium in the world, holding up to 105,000 fans. Not only hosting the Olympic soccer games, the stadium was also the stage for two World Cups, including the game where Argentinean legend Diego Maradona starred in the hand of god incident. Later in the same game, many believed he scored the greatest goal ever, and a monument to Maradona has been erected outside the stadium to honour the man.

The stadium sometimes serves as the venue for concerts, but it is usually associated with soccer (futból), acting as home to the Mexican National side, and local club side America. Games to look out for are when America plays the Pumas or Guadalajara. Tickets go for about $50 - $100 pesos, more from scalpers but be careful that you are not purchasing fakes.