Juan Caicedo has a B.A. in Natural History and Cultural Studies from Prescott College in Arizona. For his senior thesis he worked with rural and urban communities in Sonora, Mexico to protect a riparian area important for birds and archaeological conservation....more
The Tirado Music Festival
Join Nature Treks & Passages for a journey to Colonial Alamos in 
Southern Sonora, Mexico. Famous for its wealth in its silver mines, Alamos was founded in 1684. The Mexican government recently declared the entire town a National Monument. The uniqueness of the town lies in its charming Colonial architecture. The facades, arches, columns, and portals of the buildings typify Colonial architecture. Alamos is now home to several North Americans who have restored many of its haciendas.
National and international performers come to Alamos every January to perform in the nine-day “Dr. Alfonso Ortiz Tirado Music Festival.” Begun in 1985, the festival offers concerts at the Palacio (town hall) and at the town’s center plaza. A popular feature of the festival is an informal parade of student musicians through the streets, singing and dancing in the evening after the concerts end.
Our tour includes two and one-half days of concerts at the Music Festival as well as a guided cultural tour of Alamos and a historical tour of the old mining town of La Aduana. We stay at a comfortable lodge in town and sample the fare of several very good restaurants.
January 21: Leave Tucson at 8AM and drive to the seaside resort town of San Carlos by van, stopping for a picnic lunch on the way. Arrive in San Carlos in the early afternoon in time to check in to our beachfront hotel. We spend the afternoon and evening relaxing by the beach and enjoying the typical Sonoran seafood menu of a seaside restaurant.
January 22: After breakfast we continue on to Alamos, a three hour drive south of San Carlos. We stay at a historic inn in the center of town. After settling into our hotel we’ll take a walking tour of Alamos and then visit a local artist in her studio. After dinner we’ll enjoy our first night at the Music Festival.
January 23: After breakfast we drive to the nearby semi -“ghost town” of La Aduana to tour the ruins of the silver mine and see the mission that dates back to 1630. We’re back for the afternoon and evening concerts.
January 24: A free day to spend shopping or participating in the “Art Walk” around town or join us for a special opportunity to tour three of the most well-adorned haciendas in Alamos. Dinner tonight at the Mirador outlook high above the town. We’ll be able to attend the closing night at the festival, considered by many to be the “best” of all the concerts.
January 25: We leave Alamos at 8 AM and expect to return to
Tucson by early evening.
The price of this 5-day, 4-night trip is $1599 based on double occupancy. The single supplement is $200. This includes van transportation from Tubac and Tucson, all accommodations, all meals, guides, entrance fees, festival tickets, emergency medical insurance, and a donation to Tubac Center of the Arts.
The following are not included: airfare to the starting place of the trip, alcoholic beverages, tips for the guides, and costs resulting from illness, injury, or emergency evacuation, program changes, and delays beyond our control. The tour will be limited to a maximum of 9 participants.
To register for this tour, contact info@naturetreks.net or call (781) 789-8127 for a registration packet. A deposit of $200 per person is required to reserve a spot on the trip. Full payment of the tour fee is due ninety days prior to the tour departure. If you have any questions, please contact us at (781) 789-8127 or info@naturetreks.net.
Jan. 21 - Jan. 25, 2010
Price - $1599.00
A US passport or authenticated birth certificate is required. Those with foreign passports should contact the Embassy of Mexico for details.