Although many colonial traditions continued after Mexico separated from Spain in 1821, Independence and other nineteenth-century achievements brought forth new dates to commemorate with civic processions. In fact, the first civic march in the history of Independent Mexico was the triumphal entry of Agustin de Iturbide's Army of the Three Guarantees on September 27, 1821, a date deliberately selected by Iturbide—it was his thirty-eighth birthday. A month later, officials rendered the traditional Paseo de Pendón flag ceremony, this time flying the tricolor flag of the Ejército Trigarante. For the event workers covered the equestrian statue of Carlos IV (El Caballito) with a wooden globe, effacing the memory of Mexico's status as Spanish colony and reaffirming Mexican sovereignty. Citizens from all parts of the city walked to the zócalo (main plaza) to scream "vivas" to their favorite heroes of Independence. Riding a wave of popularity, General Iturbide staged a mass demonstration in his favor on May 18, 1822. Troops loyal to him left their barracks and united with civilians in the streets to shout "Viva Agustin I, Emperor of Mexico." The demonstrators then marched to the general's residence and demanded that he pronounce himself emperor. Iturbide obliged. On July 21 he and his imperial court processed to the National Cathedral for his coronation ceremony. While in power, Iturbide made a dramatic statement of continuity by celebrating San Hipólito Day with the standard cavalcade march from the cathedral to city hall.

Among the most impressive civic events following Iturbide's abdication was the original burial of the Independence heroes in the Nacional Cathedral in 1823. Congress declared 13 insurgents to be "Beneméritos de la Patria" and ordered their cadavers to be transferred from all parts of the republic to the capital. Within days delegations from various states conducted the bodily remains of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, José Maria Morelos y Pavón, Ignacio Allende, Juan de Aldama, and nine others to Mexico City. The groups met at the Villa de Guadalupe, collected the remains in a special urn, and later processed it to the Nacional Cathedral. Following a religious ceremony, high priests, government officials, and prominent military officers joined hands, marched the urn through the city, returned to the cathedral, and ultimately deposited it in the Altar de los Reyes, the same crypt that housed the corpses of many Spanish viceroys.