1st of January: Feliz Año Nuevo (Happy New Year!)
Especially colorful in Tule and Teotitlan del Valle
6th of January: Dia de los Reyes (Day of Kings)
Oaxacans exchange gifts and traditional dances are performed in Oaxaca city
13-17th of January: Fiesta del Dulce Nombre de Jesús (Festival of the Sweet Name of Jesus)
Santa Ana del Valle and Tlacolula perform traditional dance including the Dance of the Feathers
25th of January: Fiesta del Apóstol de San Pablo (Festival of Apostle St. Paul)
Mitla has processions, fireworks and folk-dancing
21st of March: Birthday of Benito Juárez, the “Hero of the Americas”
Traditional dances in Guelatao
March 21–31: Juegos Florales (Flower Games), in Oaxaca City
April (Pre-Easter Week): Semana Santa
Processions and traditional dances held in Oaxaca city and the many villages throughout the area. In Tlalixtac, there is a reenactment of the crucifixion
1-15th of July: Festival of Blood of Christ
Teotitlan del Valle is decorated and traditional dances are performed.
Last two week-ends of July:
Guelaguetza: One of Oaxaca’s biggest and most colorful celebrations with dances from the seven regions of Oaxaca.
1st and 2nd of November: Day of the Dead / Día de los Muertos
Dia de Todos Santos and Dia de los Muertos are held to honor the dead. Cemeteries are decorated, families bringflowers, food and drink. It is a ritual the indigenous people had been practicing at least 3,000 years. Although the ritual has since been merged with Catholic theology, it still maintains the basic principles of the Aztec ritual, such as the use of skulls. In Oaxaca, this festival is especially colorful with detailed sand paintings, decorated alters celebrating loved ones and special food and breads prepared for the occasion. The cemetery in Tlalixtac is also colorful and quite interesting.
We fill up fast for this event so be sure to book your rooms early!
8th of December: Fiesta de la Virgen de Soledad, Oaxaca’s patron saint, celebrations in Oaxaca City and the surrounding villages.
23rd of December: Fiesta de los Rabanos, Radishes are grown throughout the year and then used to make fantastic art sculptural displays which are then destroyed the next day. These are on view in the Zocalo of Oaxaca City.
16th-24th of December: Many Posadas with accompanying celebrations
31st of December: New Years Eve celebrations.