Ah, that special time of the year when you ask yourself, “Why can’t I be in two places at once? Or three?” That time is now.

This is the time when people with money from the north pour across the border unchallenged and settle in for one month or several and begin to madly buy up tickets to a vast number of events – all of which we only see a hint of the rest of the year.

But few and far between though they might have been, you could reasonably trust that an empty seat could be claimed moments before a performance would begin.

You know the Season is here because – even though arts and cultural events have multiplied like sex-crazed rabbits – you will frequently hear that dreaded phrase, “Sorry. Completely sold out,” from a voice that actually sounds quite chuffed and hardly sorry at all.

Facebook, in a marvelous act of undercounting, posts a message to me on Monday morning: “Reminder: You have five events coming up this week.” It didn’t even get the right five.

Here’s what Facebook says I’ve committed to:

• Local musician Bill Kavanaugh’s 71st Annual B-Day Party/Jam! “Eight or more hours of peace, love, music and food for your pleasure and enjoyment.” Starts at 2 p.m. and check here for details: https://www.facebook.com/events/3716344735261951 Here’s the music line-up:

3 pm: The Bobby Kapp Trio-Jaz
4 pm: Hot Tamales-Gypsy Jazz
5 pm: bk & Friends-Rock
6 pm: The Duncans-R&B/Jazz Rock
7 pm: Lauren Mitchell-Jazz standards, R&B
8 pm: Metate Cenith-Jazz Fusion
9 pm: Open Jam

•  Songwriters Rob Crosby and Angela Kaset performing at Cafe Murmullo on Thursday at 6 p.m. Kaset is a San Miguel resident who staged a series of well attended show at the end of 2023 during which she charmed her audiences with songs clever, funny and poignant. This will be her first paid gig at the cafe. Tickets are $350 pesos. Crosby comes out of the same Nashville songwriting community and like Kaset, lots of big names have attached themselves to his songs. Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/396331392987571 

• A belly dancing and musical extravaganza titled, “The Silk Road by Darkbukanos,” at the seldomly-used Angela Peralta Theater on Friday at 6 p.m. Says the blurb: “We will Play and Dance Sefardie, Turkish, Arabic and Balkan Music and Dance, Violin, Oud, Keybiador, Flute, Darbuka and Zills.” Tickets are $350 pesos. Details here: https://darbukanostickets.univer.se

• Joseph Bennett’s “Found Objects Art Show” begins with the artist’s reception: on Friday, February 23, 5-8 p.m. and the show runs Saturday and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. Bennett’s studio is located at Subida al Caracol 11 (near Cinco de Mayo and Prolongacion de Aldama). Find details at https://www.artbybennett.com/

• MyStudio San Antonio Art Walk – this Saturday and Sunday. MyStudio will be held Saturday and Sunday February 24th & 25th from 11 am – 5 pm. For details: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1054054189139816

Thanks, Facebook, but I won’t be doing any of these — as fun and wonderful as they all will likely be. OK, I’ll do the Art Walk since San Antonio is my neighborhood and I always enjoy seeing how much the local art community has grown from year to year.

But I have other plans and they, my friends, are only a hint of what is happening in San Miguel this week.

For example, today begins the annual San Miguel Writer’s Conference at the Hotel Real de Minas on the Ancha and Stirling Dickinson. It runs through Feb. 23 with nightly keynote speakers and daily slates of writing workshops, classes, readings, and myriad other events.

This is the first season fully under the responsibility of executive director Tina Beuche. Founder and director Susan Paige retired last year. The conference is fully live and in post-Covid mode and promises some exciting moments. 

Look, it’s a bit pricy and so the budget-minded, like myself, must pick and choose. I’ve picked two events: Keynote speakers Molly Ringwald (tonight) and Guillermo Arriaga on Tuesday tonight. Ringwald has had an amazing life since the John Hughes movies. She is the author of two books, “When It Happens to You: A Novel in Stories” and “Getting the Pretty Back.” She is also the translator of the French novel, “Lie With Me,” by Philippe Besson and the French memoir, “My Cousin Maria Schneider,” by Vanessa Schneider. Currently, Ringwald stars in the series “Truman Capote vs. The Swans.” I think she’ll have a LOT to talk about.

Guillermo Arriaga collaborated with director Alejandro Iñárritu on three great movies, “Amores Perros,” “21 Grams,” and “Babel.” And I gather it all ended sort of badly with Iñárritu banning Arriaga from the Cannes premiere of “Babel.” Arriaga is the author also of novels like Guillotine Squad (1991), A Sweet Scent of Death (1994), The Night Buffalo (1999), El Salvaje (2016). He has written and directed other movies since his Iñárritu days. Sooooooo much to talk about.

Look, there is so much more going on this week at the conference. Check out the website. There are free events too — readings, discussions, author chats, a book store — during the afternoons and some after-hours readings and poetry slams at Cafe Murmullo.

I’d love to stay all week but …..

Wednesday night begins the four-night run of Operisima Mexico’s “Cosi Fan Tuti” at the beautiful Casa Puccini – MusikHaus in Los Frailes, Calle Rio y la Paloma #2. This Mozart opera is the sophomore performance of the Operisima Mexico ensemble at their new home studio provided by patrons John and Joy Bitner with an all-new cast from last month. They are aiming for a different performance each month.

Tickets are 600 pesos and performances begin at 6:30 p.m. Get tickets from Ticket Leap.

Also all this week is Pro Musica’s Young Classical Musicians Competition which brings together 15 semifinalists from around Mexico, the U.S., and Europe to compete live for 400,000 pesos in prizes.

Here’s the schedule:
Tuesday, Feb. 20 — the Semi-Finals at the Sindicato, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. A 200-peso day pass is available. Each musician will perform for 20 minutes.
Wednesday, Feb. 21 — the Final at St. Paul’s Church, 5 pm. The top five from the previous day perform.
Friday, Feb. 23 is the Winners concert at St. Paul’s Church, 5 pm., featuring the two top performers. Finals and Winners concert:  300; 450; 650 pesos donation.

Tickets are available at the Pro Musica Ticket desk at the door to the concert, starting 45 minutes before showtime. Get tickets and details here.

If your Tuesday or Wednesday night is open, I highly recommend seeing Media Luna at Paprika Restaurante and Music House, starting at 6:30 p.m. The guitarist brothers Caleb and Jair Cabrera have long been among our favorite musicians here in San Miguel. Media Luna performs here once a month.

The lineup includes Caleb and violinist David Mendoza as well as Kim Alef and Jon Jameson. Jair is taking a break from the band. It promises, as always, to be a stunning night of musicianship and camaraderie. Show seating is $300.00 mxn with a minimum consumption of $300.00 mxn. Doors open at 5 p.m. Paprika has live shows every night.

Of all the week’s events, one of the most spectacular promises to be Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle on Thursday, Feb. 22, at 5 pm in the stately Templo de la Tercera Orden on Calle San Francisco and Juarez in Centro.

I have been listening to various versions of the 1863 “Little Solemn Mass” over and over and each time there are fresh revelations. The mass is hardly “petite” and having composed it 34 years after his last opera, Rossini may have been feeling playfully affectionate.

Chorale San Diego will be joining forces with a stunning array of soloists under the guidance of conductor Mauro Lesesma. Joining the Chorale will be soloists from across Mexico: Yamel Domort and Erika López (sopranos), Diana Peralta &and Vanessa Jara (mezzosopranos), Mario Canela and Alonso Sicairos (tenors ), and Luis Briones and Juan Carlos Villalobos (basses).

Other featured performers include pianist and Chorale director Malcolm Halliday and organist Rogelio Alvarez Meneses. The concert will begin with the “Hymn, op. 78” (for harmonium and piano) from the prolific Belgian composer Joseph Jongen.

Tickets are still available at the patisserie Petite Four on Jesus in Centro, although it is closed on Monday. Sales at the Patisserie will halt at noon on Wednesday. Buy tickets online here. (Note that only VIP and general rear seating remain.)

Another of my favorite local performers, the throaty torch singer Maria Sánchez, brings her band to Raindog Lounge on Wednesday nights, 7:30-9:30, for the “Cantina Sessions.” No cover and appropriately, Wednesday has been designated Tequila Night at the venue.

Not everything is music and dance. If you are Wikileaks founder Julien Assange, it is a maximum security prison in England awaiting extradition to the United States. Hearings on that extradition are taking place now. If you want to know more and add your voice to those who feel this is more persecution than prosecution, two events are for you:

Presentation, Q&A Monday, February 19, 1pm at Quinta Loreto Hotel (Meeting/TV room), Loreto 15.
Public rally on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2 pm in front of the Parroquia. “Bring a sign and a friend.” More details at the online site Lokkal.

OK, I need to stop. There are scores of events going on every day in San Miguel. Your brain can explode trying to figure out what you want to do. Of course, now that we no longer have a newspaper, finding out what’s up can be a pain.

I miss out on a lot. You miss out on a lot.

There are some places that you can go. Certainly San Miguel Live is a great start. The online magazine Lokkal runs lots of events, especially art-related openings. Discover SMA is a treasure trove of events.

Where do you find stuff to do in San Miguel? How about religious and cultural events?

Anybody want to help start a fully online San Miguel de Allende newspaper to fill the information gap?

Just asking.

Enjoy your week!