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Jungle, Anderson. Paak to headline new Mexico fest

Mexico City is set to gain a new 20,000-capacity festival this November, headlined by Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals and Jungle.

Simifest will take place on 23 November in Bicentennial Park with supporting acts including Motel, Ely Guerra, Technicolor Fabrics and Ruzzi.

The festival has been organised by Mexico’s largest pharmacy chain, Farmacias Similares.

In the live music world, Farmacias Similares is synonymous with its moustachioed mascot doll, Doctor Simi, which has been hurled at countless superstars during concerts.

The well-documented phenomenon began at the Corona Capital 2021 festival, when a young woman threw the stuffed doll at Norwegian singer Aurora during her performance.

Simifest will take place on 23 November in Bicentennial Park with acts including Motel, Ely Guerra and Technicolor Fabrics

The exchange gained momentum on social media the next day, causing the trend to spread around the world at concerts by artists such as Adele, Karol G, Coldplay, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, The Killers, Dua Lipa, Justin Bieber and My Chemical Romance.

“The Mexican public is always looking for ways that they can connect with their idols. And Dr. Simi has become just this connection between the public and the artist,” Javier Jarquín, editor-in-chief of popular Mexican music magazine Kuadro, told VICE in 2023.

Capitalising on the popularity of Doctor Simi, the pharmacy has launched Simifest to raise money for its social and environmental assistance foundations.

Proceeds from the festival, which costs 1,645 pesos (about €76/$82) to attend, will go to the reforestation efforts of its foundations.

“Simifest has an environmental purpose,” explained Victor Gonzalez Herrera at a press conference. “For each ticket sold, a life bomb will be generated that will be launched during the rainy season [November]; this innovative reforestation method consists of throwing spheres made of clay, soil, compost and seeds from small planes to restore hard-to-reach areas more effectively.”

 

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