Mexican Independence Day is celebrated on September 16 each year. This day commemorates the start of Mexico's fight for independence from Spain, which began on September 16, 1810, when Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla delivered the famous "Grito de Dolores" (Cry of Dolores), calling for liberation from Spanish rule. The celebration officially begins on the night of September 15, with the president of Mexico reenacting the cry from the balcony of the National Palace in Mexico City, ringing the same bell Hidalgo used over 200 years ago. The actual Independence Day is marked on September 16 with various events, parades, and festivities throughout Mexico.