No one who has visited Ashland’s sister city, Guanajuato, ever forgets the exuberant nightlife that inspired the Amigo Club to name our annual dinner/fundraiser “Guanajuato Nights.”

This is the sixth gathering since the first Guanajuato Nights was held in 2015, shortly after the Amigo Club achieved tax-exempt status and created an endowed scholarship fund for exchange students attending Southern Oregon University and the University of Guanajuato. To date, there have been 12 recipients.

When the sun goes down in Guanajuato, the ancient city comes alive. Tourists and residents, serenaded by mariachi bands, fill sidewalk cafes in the plaza below the steps of the towering and brightly lighted Teatro Juarez.  Others head for the city’s many bars and clubs, some staying open until 3 a.m.  Costumed “estudiantina” troubadours lead their admirers on musical “callejoneada” tours through the city’s s narrow, cobblestoned alleyways. For the more culturally inclined, activities range from concerts to ballet and theater performances.

A World Heritage Site since 1988, the beautiful city is filled with history.  It played a pivotal role in Mexican independence from Spain, and its silver mines enriched the world.  Strollers encounter cobblestoned streets, secluded plazas, and colonial architecture and churches.
 

The Amigo Club is focused on making our endowed scholarship fund have an impact on the Amistad Program of student exchanges between Ashland and Guanajuato. Through our annual fundraiser, linked to matching contributions from benefactor Faffie Siekman of Guanajuato, the fund has grown over eight years to some $200,000. 

Thank you, Guanajuato Nights diners, for your generous auction-inspired donations!