The Fiestas Charro-Taurinas has been celebrated in Villa de Alvarez every year since 1857, a charro and bullfight festival with cockfights, concerts and more in honor of the patron saint of Colima, San Felipe de Jesus, who protects against earthquakes and hurricanes,

The petatera is a structure that is created with wood and petates which are woven mats.  Perhaps the most fascinating fact about the stadium is that it is reconstructed each year and then torn down and saved for the next fair or event.

We missed the fair grounds on the way in from Minatitlan but returned to Villa Alvarez the next day and found the bull ring was still under construction. It's huge, the total grounds are huge and it must be quite an event but did not start 'till about the 9th, a few days after we were to leave. Actually very funky construction with many of the boards for walking and sitting not well secured. Some families were there fixing up their own areas - evidently reserved year after year.