Alright, let me tell you about my crazy trip hunting down Mexico’s best festivals this year. Seriously, packing for this was a nightmare – tried to fit everything into one backpack like I was some young backpacker again. Spoiler: didn’t work. Ended up with this ridiculous suitcase rolling behind me on all those cobblestone streets. Rookie mistake.
Kicking Off in Guanajuato (Winter)
First stop was Cervantino Festival. Flew into Mexico City and immediately hopped on a bus straight to Guanajuato. Man, those mountain roads are no joke – felt like my stomach was doing somersaults the whole way up. Got into town late, dumped my stuff at this little Airbnb buried deep in an alleyway, honestly thought I was lost forever trying to find it the first time.
Woke up the next morning to the city absolutely buzzing. Music spilling out from every corner! Stumbled upon some street theater happening right on the steps near the university – actors just going for it with this wild energy. Tried to follow along, my Spanish is… okay-ish, but this was fast! Bought some tamales wrapped in banana leaves from a granny cooking on a tiny burner. Best peso I spent all trip. The real weird bit? That mummy museum they keep talking about. Creeped me out proper, those contorted faces… Had weird dreams that night, no lie.
Off to Oaxaca (Fall Vibes)
Plane hop back south to Oaxaca for the big one: Día de Muertos. Timing was key – got there October 31st. The buildup is everything. The market! Mercado de Benito Juárez was pure sensory overload.
- The flower sellers with mountains of marigolds. That smell? Sweet and musky, totally unique.
- Candles and those intricate sugar skulls everywhere.
- Food stalls dishing out mole and chapulines… yeah, I tried the grasshoppers. Crunchy. Salty. Honestly, not terrible.
November 1st night in Xoxocotlán cemetery. Wow. Just wow. Families chilling around candle-lit graves, some quiet, some laughing, sharing food and drinks with photos of their loved ones. It wasn’t sad, more like… peaceful? Respectful? Got teary-eyed watching an old lady gently brush dust off a tombstone. Took an alley back later and nearly jumped out of my skin seeing an open coffin display. Turned out you could rent them for photos! Yeah, hard pass.
Guelaguetza or Bust
Stuck around Oaxaca for summer. Heard Guelaguetza was epic, but getting tickets? Mission impossible. Booked months ahead on a sketchy-looking local tourism site, crossing fingers it wasn’t a scam. Lucked out! Scored seats high up in the amphitheater. The climb up Cerro del Fortín at midday in July… brutal. Sweat pouring down my face. Totally worth it once it started. The costumes! Feathers, ribbons, giant headdresses, dancers spinning like whirlwinds throwing pineapples and baskets into the crowd. Felt privileged to see it. Post-show, wandered the streets fueled by mezcal shots from tiny plastic cups vendors were handing out like candy. Bad combo with the altitude and heat. Spent the next morning regretting all my life choices.
Mexico City Finale
Squeezed in a weekend flight back to CDMX specifically for the Lucha Libre festival happening. Arena México. Jam-packed. Hot. Sticky. The smell of cheap beer, popcorn, and sweat was… intense. Bought a ridiculous bright blue lucha mask immediately. Felt like an idiot, didn’t care. The theatrics! Heroes, villains, capes flying, fake slams that somehow looked real? One wrestler bodyslammed his opponent right near us, the ring shuddered violently. Cheered myself hoarse shouting insults at the bad guys. Exhausted, covered in spilled beer (not mine!), ears ringing, caught a late-night street taco with everything on it. Perfection.
Left Mexico buzzing like that crowd at the arena. My suitcase felt heavier with souvenirs and dirty laundry, but man, the memories were crammed in there too – the smells, the tastes, the sheer life bursting out everywhere. My camera roll is insane, my Spanish got slightly better, and I definitely learned my lesson about pulque consumption. Gotta do it again someday.
