Mexico City is preparing for a new Independence Day celebration. This Tuesday, September 15, the 16 boroughs will host festivities with live music, fairs, and cultural activities, while in the capital’s Zócalo, Intocable will be in charge of the concert prior to the Cry ceremony, which will be led by President Claudia Sheinbaum.
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What time is the Independence Cry 2026
The main celebration will take place at the Plaza de la Constitución. The fair will start around 7:00 p.m., and Intocable’s performance is scheduled for 9:45 p.m. At 11:00 p.m., President Claudia Sheinbaum will lead the official ceremony from the National Palace.
The musical program will also include the participation of the National Guard Mariachi and the Secretariat of National Defense Mariachi, as well as José Alfredo Jiménez Medel, grandson of the Guanajuato composer, on the occasion of the centenary of his birth. Also, the members of Legado de Grandeza, creators of the Migrant Anthem, and the three winners of the Mexico Sings contest will take the stage.
Access to the Zócalo will be free.
Will there be a Dry Law?
There will be a dry law in some areas of Mexico City, but it will not be a general measure for the entire capital. According to notices published in the Official Gazette of Mexico City, the Tláhuac borough will prohibit the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages in establishments and public streets from September 14 to 16, while in Tlalpan the restriction will be in effect from September 14 to 17, until midnight, and will cover commercial establishments located in Tlalpan Centro I and II and the Niño Jesús neighborhood, as well as fairs, kermesses, pilgrimages, markets, tianguis, and other temporary establishments set up for the patriotic festivities.
Read more Intocable at the Zócalo for the Independence Cry: schedules, programming, and road closures
How will the breathalyzer work?
The breathalyzer will operate 24 hours during the Patriotic Festivities. The Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC) has activated a special operation of the Drive Without Alcohol program that will remain in effect from September 11 to 20, including September 15 and 16. Checkpoints will be installed randomly in the 16 boroughs and at entrances and exits of the capital’s highways, in addition to reinforcing surveillance in areas where attendees concentrate, such as esplanades, parks, shopping centers, bars, restaurants, and concerts. The deployment, according to authorities, includes 300 police officers and 120 units to detect drivers who have consumed alcoholic beverages and prevent traffic accidents.
What is served for dinner at ‘El Torito’?
People sent to the Administrative Sanctions and Social Integration Center, known as El Torito, on the night of September 15 will also have a special dinner for the Patriotic Festivities. According to the SSC, the menu for that day will consist of red rice, three tostadas — one with chicken tinga, one with beef foot, and one with potato and chorizo — flavored water, and dessert of the day.
Independence Cry concerts by borough
These are the confirmed lineups so far in the boroughs of CDMX.
| Borough | Confirmed activities and artists | Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Álvaro Obregón | 90’s Pop Tour, with JNS, Kabah, Caló, Mercurio, and Erik Rubín; La Original Sonora Dinamita | Starting at 12:00 |
| Azcapotzalco | Jerry Rivera, Maelo Ruiz, José Joel, El Jilguero, and Los Pajarillos | 18:30 |
| Benito Juárez | Aleks Syntek, Diego Schoening, and Baxter | 18:00 |
| Coyoacán | Mariachi Gallo de México, Jenni Rivera impersonator, Coyoacán Symphonic Band, versatile music, and Merenglass; fireworks | From 16:00 |
| Cuajimalpa | Ninel Conde, Sonido La Changa, Internacional Carro Show, Sinaloa Stars of Germán Lizárraga, and Sergio Buccio | 18:00 |
| Cuauhtémoc | Matute, Los N5, and Luis Ángel “El Flaco”; family activities and fair | Not confirmed |
| Gustavo A. Madero | Luis R. Conriquez, Maldita Vecindad, and Sonora Santanera; Liran’Roll at Campos Revolución | 18:00 |
| Iztacalco | Ari Salgado, Juanma, Edwin Luna, and La Trakalosa de Monterrey; Adolescentes Orquesta | 16:00 |
| Iztapalapa | Grupo Aroma, Sonora Altepexana, Jorge Carmona, and Pancho Barraza; artistic presentations | Starting at 15:30 |
| La Magdalena Contreras | La Esencia del Bolero, La Malquerida, La Auténtica de Jerez, Grupo Saya, and El Yaki | 16:00 |
| Miguel Hidalgo | Paty Cantú, Embajadores de la Cumbia Dinamita, and Los Yaguarú; additional activities | 15:00 |
| Milpa Alta | Víctor Manuelle; salsa night and patriotic festivities activities | |
| Tláhuac | Flores de México, Édgar Jiménez, Remembering La Sonora Dinamita, and Vagón Chicano; drone and fireworks show | 18:00 |
| Tlalpan | Calibre 50 and El Mimoso; “Grito Tlalpense” | 19:00 |
| Venustiano Carranza | Maelo Ruiz, La Sonora Dinamita de Lucho Argaín, and Los Tigres del Norte | 18:00 |
| Xochimilco | El Gran Silencio, Lorenzo Negrete, and Los Mismos Reyes | 21:00 |
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