On the equinox the sun is positioned directly over the equator. The word "equinox" means "equal night" because on the equinox the night is equal in length to the day. There are two equinoxes during the year, the spring equinox, sometimes called "vernal equinox," which falls around March 20th and the autumn equinox which falls around September 23rd. The day of the spring equinox marks the end of winter and beginning of spring.

In many places in Mexico there are spring festivals, festivales de primavera, that take place to celebrate the beginning of spring. Children's parades are also popular and if you're in Mexico on or around the date of the spring equinox you may see children on parade dressed up as flowers and animals.