MEXICO CITY—Tens of thousands of Mexicans thronged into the streets Wednesday to celebrate Mexico’s bicentenary of its fight for independence from Spain, even as mounting drug violence takes a toll on national pride.

Planes flew overhead painting the sky with the national colours of green, white and red as thousands of Mexico City residents watched a huge parade down the main Reforma, heading to a fireworks and lights show when night falls at the huge Zocalo central square. Hundreds of smaller celebrations are taking place across the country.

Shortly before midnight, Mexican President Felipe Calderon will give the famous cry of the call to arms, known as “El Grito,” in Mexico City, echoed by state governors and mayors in desert and jungle towns and cities.

“Viva Mexico!” is a current-day twist on rebel priest Miguel Hidalgo’s original call to arms in 1810. Mexicans eventually achieved their independence from Spain in 1821.

Despite a slow recovery from last year’s deep recession, many cities have organized dazzling celebrations, with eight tonnes of fireworks planned for Mexico City, and Mexican media have put the cost of the party at $40 million.

Among the first marchers were nearly 250 teenagers carrying replicas of native, paddle-shaped nopal cacti on their heads.

Marchers also carried helium-filled depictions of Mayan gods behind the replica of a rebel soldier hauled, piece by piece, to the Zocolo Square where he will be assembled into towering statue.

“We have a rich country and we are making progress,” said Yan Vargas, a civil servant at the celebrations in Mexico City. “But it is progress thanks to our people, not the government.”

Invasion, civil war and the current fight to subdue drug cartels have all been part of Mexico’s two centuries of history. An uneven record of peace and progress has not sapped a national effort for united celebration for a diverse people.

The government’s bloody war against drug traffickers has cast a shadow over some parts of the country, particularly the northern border, where 14 fearful municipalities have had to call off their celebrations because of safety concerns.

Mexicans’ traditional verve has been dampened by the more than 28,000 drug killings across the country since Calderon launched his army-led war against drug cartels in late 2006. Those killed are mostly drug hitmen and corrupt police, but many young teenagers have been sucked into the drug fight and civilian deaths have tarnished Mexico’s self-image.

Many were nonetheless proud to mark the anniversary of such a diverse nation famed internationally for its food, Mayan ruins, history and white-sand beaches.