The Mexican state of Jalisco is ready to welcome athletes and visitors from all over the Americas for the sixteenth edition of the Juegos Panamericanos, the Panamerican Games. Guadalajara will play host from October 14 to October 30th to over 5000 athletes who will compete in 36 different sports and nearly 400 events. The Panamerican Games are held every four years in the year before the Summer Olympics, and this is the third time that Mexico will host the games.
Besides sporting events, various activities which highlight the rich cultural traditions of the region will also take place. The opening ceremony will be held on October 14 in Guadalajara's Omnilife Stadium. Mexican singer Alejandro Fernandez is scheduled to perform the song "El Mismo Sol", the official theme of the Games, and Colombian singer Juanes will also perform.
With a metropolitan area of some five million people, Guadalajara is Mexico's second largest city. Known as the "Pearl of the West," this area is the cradle of tequila and Mariachi music. Hopefully all those who visit Guadalajara for the games will take some time to explore this fascinating city. A good place to start is by taking a walking tour of the city center, which is an interesting blend of old and new architecture. A visit to the Hospicio Cabaņas, once a hospital and orphanage and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is also essential.
The spotlight will be on Guadalajara during the Panamerican Games, and it's a wonderful opportunity for the world to discover this very worthy destination.