Z-Fest Pictures Tell the Story

We haven’t heard the details yet, but a quick look at these photos from volunteers Eileen Redding and Margaret Reid confirms that the 13th annual Zihuatanejo Sailfest was well attended, and by all indications, a big success. There was even wind this year for the yacht race, which is not always the case.

As regular readers know, Z-Fest is an annual six-day festival put on by visiting sailors, expats, and local businesses. The varied menu of activities includes a sailboat race, a boat parade through Zihua harbor and along the Ixtapa waterfront, a live music concert, a chili cookoff and more.

Each activity has a fund-raising component which helps build and support schools for the disadvantaged indigenous youngsters who live in the hills surrounding the city. Z-Fest profits, distributed via the Por Los Ninos charity, address a ‘Catch 22’ within Mexican law. That is, if you don’t speak Spanish (as with many of the Zihua’s indigenous groups), you can’t attend public school. But if you can’t attend school, how are you supposed to learn Spanish, right? Por Los Ninos solves this problem for many local kids, by building classrooms and funding their operations.

From the beginning the sweat and financial support of cruising sailors has always been a big part of this amazing success story.