American life in Mexico City

Mexico City has one of the oldest American communities anywhere outside the US, and you can plug into it as much or as little as you like.

The short version

The American Society of Mexico has been around since 1942 and still runs a Fourth of July festivity and other cultural events [1].
The American Benevolent Society has held an annual Independence Day luncheon, and American Legion Post 2 has a clubhouse in Condesa [2][3].
Democrats Abroad Mexico City is an active chapter. Republicans Overseas organizes Republicans abroad; its site doesn't currently list a Mexico chapter, so check with them directly [4][5].
The US Embassy moved to a new campus in Nuevo Polanco, and consular appointments have been held there since November 24, 2025 [6].
Thanksgiving isn't a Mexican holiday, so you'll be cooking or booking it yourself. The good news: turkey isn't hard to find.

The long-running American institutions

Americans have been part of Mexico City life for well over a century, and some of their institutions are older than most US suburbs.

The American Society of Mexico

The American Society of Mexico (AmSoc) was founded on August 26, 1942, at a meeting at The American School Foundation in Mexico City [1]. Today it works as an umbrella for nonprofits, businesses and individuals with ties to both countries. It runs the US–Mexico Binational Convention, networking and cultural events, and a Fourth of July festivity [1]. If you want a single starting point for the "official" American community, this is it.

The American Benevolent Society

The American Benevolent Society (ABS) is a Mexico City organization within the American community. It has hosted an annual US Independence Day luncheon in Polanco [2]. Check its current events before planning around it, because venues and dates change from year to year.

American Legion Post 2

Veterans, this one's for you. American Legion Post 2 has its clubhouse at Celaya 25 in Colonia Condesa, with a bar and a Texas-style menu after a 2021 renovation. Membership is open to current and former members of the US armed forces [3]. Call ahead for hours and events, which have changed over the years.

The American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico

If you're here for work, AmCham Mexico has been bringing the two countries' business communities together for more than 100 years. Its Mexico City office is on Paseo de la Reforma [7]. It's a business group, not a social club, but its events are a good place to meet Americans working in town.

The Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and other American holidays

Here's the thing about holidays abroad: the ones that matter to you aren't on the local calendar, so you have to make them happen.

Holiday	What happens in Mexico City	Tips
Fourth of July	AmSoc festivity, ABS luncheon and community events [1][2]	Watch AmSoc and community calendars from June
Thanksgiving	A regular workday in Mexico	Order a turkey early; Costco and big supermarkets stock them in November
Super Bowl Sunday	Sports bars across Roma, Condesa and Polanco show the game	Get there early for a seat
Election years	Voter registration drives by the political groups [4]	Send your FPCA early
Halloween	Overlaps with Día de Muertos, Nov. 1–2	Go see the altars and the parade

Thanksgiving, the practical way

Mexico doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, so the fourth Thursday in November is a normal workday. Most Americans host a potluck on the weekend or book a restaurant that does a turkey dinner. A few tips:

Order your turkey early. Costco and the big supermarkets carry them in November, but the good ones go fast.
Check your oven. Many Mexico City apartments have small ovens, or none at all. Measure before you buy a 20-pounder.
Hunt for the hard stuff. Canned pumpkin and cranberry sauce show up in import aisles in the fall. Grab them when you see them.
Lean into the mash-up. Mole on the side, a jalapeño cornbread, pan de muerto left over from Día de Muertos. Nobody's going to complain.

Sports and staying connected to home

You can follow your teams from Mexico City without much fuss. Sports bars in Roma, Condesa and Polanco show NFL games on Sundays, and the playoffs and Super Bowl draw crowds. The NFL has played regular-season games at Estadio Azteca, MLB has played regular-season games in the city, and Estadio Azteca hosted the opening match of the 2026 World Cup.

Baseball has deep roots here, and the city has its own professional team, the Diablos Rojos del México. A Diablos game is a great, cheap night out and a good way to make Mexican friends.

For more on where to watch, eat and stock up, see our guide to American food, restaurants and bars in Mexico City.

Politics: both parties' groups abroad

Voting from Mexico City is easy once you know how, and both parties have groups for Americans abroad. We list them side by side, without endorsing either.

Democrats Abroad Mexico City is an active chapter with volunteer teams for voter registration, phone banking and events [4].
Republicans Overseas is the main organization for Republicans living abroad. Its website doesn't currently list a Mexico chapter [5], so contact the organization directly if you want to connect with Republicans in Mexico City.

Whichever way you lean, the key step is the same: send a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) every year to register and request your absentee ballot from the state where you last lived. See our guide to voting from abroad.

The US Embassy: what it does for you

After 61 years on Paseo de la Reforma, the US Embassy moved to a new campus at Presa Angostura 225, colonia Irrigación, in the borough of Miguel Hidalgo, near Nuevo Polanco. The entrance for consular services is on Calzada Legaria. Appointments from November 24, 2025, take place at the new site [6].

For Americans living here, the embassy's American Citizen Services unit handles:

Passports, including emergency passports and adding pages
Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA) for children born in Mexico
Notarial services, by appointment
Help in emergencies: an arrest, a death, a serious illness or a crisis

What it won't do: get you out of jail, act as your lawyer or settle a fight with your landlord. Enroll in STEP (the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) so the embassy can reach you with security alerts and in an emergency. Our guide to STEP and help from US embassies explains the details.

Finding your people

The established groups are great, but a lot of American life in Mexico City happens informally: running clubs in Parque México, Spanish classes, coworking spaces, parent groups at the international schools and church communities that hold English-language services.

A tip from people who've been here a while: don't spend all your time with Americans. The friends you make with chilangos, as locals are called, are what make this city feel like home.

When you're new and have questions, our community group for Americans in Mexico is a good place to start. Ask about the next Thanksgiving potluck, where to watch the game or which INM office is moving fastest.

American life in Mexico City: Thanksgiving, the Fourth and finding your people