Our lovely neighbors, Maria Luisa and Jacinto, spend the two months leading up to Mardi Gras making clowns and paper flowers to sell in the Jardin. They have been making these traditional items for over 20 years and their work is detailed and imaginative. Here they are in their workshop with some of their clowns.And here are some of their flowers ready to head to the main square.
Vendors of clowns and flowers line the square in front of the Parroquia for the days leading up to Lent.
Their young daughter helps them sell as well.
Mardi Gras is a family celebration; no parades, floats, costumes or trading beads here. Blown eggs are filled with confetti or powder, sold by the bag, and cracked over the heads of friends and unsuspecting strangers alike. 
On Saturday night anyone is fair game and by dark the ground is littered with eggshells and confetti.
We went down on Friday night and discovered that Jacinto had a night job as well, that of burro handler for a troubadour group. The decorated "bar" on the back of the burro holds liquor for the singers who follow the troubadours around.
Once Lent begins on Wednesday February 25th, the the religious tone of the town becomes more serious culminating with the end of Holy Week (Semana Santa) and Easter. Of course there is always the Cuban Festival and the Indian Dancers and the Children's First Day of Spring parade so there is still plenty to do in San Miguel de Allende in March.
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