Can you imagine a dance floor where you don’t have to pay an entrance fee, buy alcohol, or know how to dance? The Baile Libre event in Mexico City returns this September, and we already know where the next edition will take place: the Plazuela de San Cristóbal in Xochimilco.
The event will take place on Saturday, September 26, and will feature DJs, a sound system, and four hours of outdoor dancing. The concept is simple: no one is competing here, and you can move however you like.
Behind the event is La Nueva Red de Bailadores, a collective that promotes dance spaces free of charge, alcohol, harassment, and competitions. Although you may barely have it on your radar, the project has been organizing events in streets, plazas, museums, and cultural spaces for over a decade.
In fact, its August 29 event turned the plaza at the Jumex Museum into a free dance floor for four hours. Now the event is moving to the south of the city.
The next Baile Libre will be in Xochimilco
Plazuela de San Cristóbal, located about a 10-minute walk from downtown Xochimilco, will be the new dance floor. The dance will begin at 3:00 p.m. and end at 7:00 p.m.
People of all ages are welcome, including children and seniors. You’re also welcome to bring something to eat to share.
And there’s a much more fun way to get there: by bike. That same day, there will be two simultaneous bike rides heading to the dance.
One will start at 1:00 p.m. at the Taller de Bicicletas Libertad, located at Simón Bolívar 130 in the Historic Center. The other will begin at 1:30 p.m. on the esplanade in downtown Tlalpan.
Both groups will ride at a “conversational pace,” without competition and making sure no one gets left behind. To participate, it’s recommended that you bring a helmet, lights, tools, and a bike in good condition.
If you’re not bringing a bike, the organizers note that there’s transportation to the center of Xochimilco from Tasqueña and the Pino Suárez Metro station. From Tasqueña, you can take the route toward Milpa Alta and get off at La Carbonería, one block from the plaza.
Date: Saturday, September 26
Location: Plazuela de San Cristóbal, Xochimilco
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Cost: Free admission
