Working for St. Mark Catholic Church for 20 years, Sergio Parra looks forward to each kermés season to see the many faces across the border who attend.
“The main purpose of the kermés is to build community among all the families,” said Parra, the church’s kermés coordinator. “We have families from all over town, from Las Cruces to Juárez, in attendance, so it’s a great opportunity to build community.”
Churches throughout the region typically host kerméses, the religious bazaars, from July until early October. They are family-friendly events that serve as a major fundraiser for the church. This annual event is anticipated by many El Pasoans as the festival brings food, games and live performances.
Bazaars are often run by church volunteers such as Parra who dedicate their time to organize the celebrations up to a year in advance.
“This year, our bazaar is going to be in July, so we started planning right after Christmas,” said Jay Acosta, the kermés coordinator for St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in the Lower Valley. “(We) made contact with restrooms, dumpsters, and the different vendors we use for the bazaar.”
Money made from the festivals goes back toward the church, aiding them in different ways. Acosta said the fundraiser offsets costs associated with addressing the church’s cosmetic or functional issues.
“Two years ago we needed to replace toilets, plumbing, and we also replaced some railing around the church with the bazaar money,” Acosta said.
The hard work and dedication each church puts toward its kermés often spurs big attendance from the community.
Throngs of visitors are enticed by the variety of things to do. There are food trucks galore, serving items such as elotes, raspas, gorditas and tacos. Entertainment options include games, raffles, jumping balloons and petting zoos.
Though Catholic churches are traditionally viewed as the hosts of kerméses, other churches participate in the tradition as well. For example, St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church is hosting a bazaar that serves Middle Eastern cuisine.
Below is a schedule for this year’s local bazaars:
July 26-28: St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish, 408 Park St.
July 27-28: St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 7424 Mimosa Ave.
Aug. 2-4: Little Flower Catholic Church, 171 Polo Inn Road.
Aug. 2-4: Our Lady of the Light Catholic Church, 4700 Delta Drive
Aug. 9-11: San Lorenzo Catholic Church, 611 Avenida De San Lorenzo (Clint)
Aug. 30-31, Sept. 1: St. Mark Catholic Church, 11700 Pebble Hills Blvd.
Aug. 30-31, Sept. 1: Immaculate Heart of Mary Mission, 8300 De Alva Drive (Canutillo)
Aug. 31, Sept. 1-2: St. Anthony’s Seminary, 4601 Hastings Drive
Sept. 6-8: Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 14600 Horizon Blvd. (Horizon City)
Sept. 6-8: San Juan Diego, 14520 Montana Ave.
Sept. 13-14: San Pedro Maldonado Catholic Church, 3000 Tim Foster St.
Sept. 13-15: Santa Rosa de Lima Parish, 620 E. 4th St. (Pecos, Texas)
Sept. 14-15: St. Patrick Cathedral, 1118 N. Mesa St. (Canutillo)
Sept. 21-22: San Judas Tadeo Catholic Church, 4006 Hidden Way
Sept. 20-22: Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 9205 N. Loop Drive
Sept. 21-22: Christ the Savior Catholic Church, 5301 Wadsworth Ave.
Sept. 21: Our Lady of Fatima Parish, 308 S. Almond St. (Van Horn, Texas)
Sept. 27-Sept. 29: La Purisima Mission, 328 S. Nevarez Road
Sept. 27-Sept. 28: St. Raphael Parish, 2301 Zanzibar Road
Sept. 28-29: Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, 7712 S Rosedale St.
Oct. 4-5: Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church, 8600 Winchester Road
Oct. 4-6: St. Pius X Catholic Church, 1050 N. Clark Drive
Oct. 11-13: Cathedral High School, 1309 N. Stanton St.
Oct. 19: San Antonio de Padua Catholic Church, 503 Hunter Drive
Oct. 19-20: St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, 120 N. Festival Drive
The post When are the kermés celebrations this year? A calendar to the staple El Paso festivals. appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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