Festival Cultural and Artistic Activities at Hotels

Las Palomitas Serranas

Mercado de la Merced

45 min

From the community of Palomas, in the heart of Guanajuato’s Sierra Gorda, Tulia, Patricia, Julieta, and Gregory bring son and huapango arribeño to life through the power of their voices and the sounds of the jarana, quinta huapanguera, and violin. Recognized as the first all-women ensemble in this genre, the artists preserve and share one of northeastern Guanajuato’s most representative musical traditions through verses, songs, and melodies that have accompanied the lives, memories, and customs of their communities for generations.

Raíz y Canto - Ensamble Vocal

Mercado de la Merced

45 min

A vocal ensemble featuring two singers and a pianist pays tribute to the renowned composers and performers who helped shape the musical identity of the state of Guanajuato. Through a selection of songs woven into Mexico’s collective memory, the ensemble celebrates the legacy of iconic figures such as José Alfredo Jiménez, Jorge Negrete, and María Grever, among other influential artists whose work continues to move audiences across generations.

Cocineras Tradicionales de Guanajuato - María Aurelia Colchado

Mercado de la Merced

5 h

She is recognized for preserving and promoting the rich culinary heritage of the state of Guanajuato. Throughout her career, she has represented the traditional cuisine of the Bajío region at culinary gatherings and festivals, presenting recipes made with native ingredients and techniques passed down from generation to generation. She earned first place in the “Savory Dish” category at the 13th Traditional Cuisine Gathering in Guanajuato. Through her work, she helps preserve and share the cultural and culinary identity of her region.

Catrina Mayólica e Ix Maa Uayec

Mercado de la Merced, Teatro del Río y Lobby

60 min

Xcaret’s Catrina is much more than a figure: she is the living soul of Día de Muertos. With a commanding presence that brings tradition and fantasy together, she pays tribute to the Mexican worldview surrounding death and celebrates it through color, music, and symbolism.

Altar Principal

Lobby

Permanente

Catrina Mayólica e Ix Maa Uayec

LobbyLa XentralPasillo a Chibali

60 min

Xcaret’s Catrina is much more than a figure: she is the living soul of Día de Muertos. With a commanding presence that brings tradition and fantasy together, she pays tribute to the Mexican worldview surrounding death and celebrates it through color, music, and symbolism.

Cocineras Tradicionales de Guanajuato - Lourdes Camarena

Mercado de San Juan

5 h

She is recognized for preserving and promoting the rich culinary heritage of the state of Guanajuato. Throughout her career, she has participated in culinary gatherings and festivals, representing the traditional cuisine of the Bajío through recipes prepared with native ingredients and techniques passed down from generation to generation. Her work earned her first place in the “Savory Dish” category at the 13th Traditional Cuisine Gathering in Guanajuato and continues to help preserve and share the cultural and culinary identity of her region.

La Tuna

Mercado de San Juan

45 min

With its unmistakable joy and festive spirit, La Tuna de Xcaret keeps alive a time-honored musical tradition that has enriched celebrations and gatherings for generations. Through heartfelt serenades, coplas, and melodies performed on traditional instruments, its members fill every setting with music, humor, and warmth, inviting audiences to sing along, join in, and enjoy an experience that celebrates togetherness and the richness of Hispanic and Mexican cultural heritage.

Cocineras Tradicionales de Q. Roo - Justina Chuc Can y Magaly del Rocío Pech

Mercado de San Juan

5 h

She learned the secrets of Maya cuisine from her mother, Justina Chuc Can, a traditional cook from the community of Xpichil, in the Maya region of Quintana Roo, in the Mexican Caribbean. Every day, she works to promote the local cuisine and shares ancestral dishes in which every ingredient, sourced from the milpa, plays an essential role in bringing the flavors and traditions of her land to the table.

Tapete Artesanal de Uriangato y Altar Principal

Lobby Jardín del Arte

Permanente

Velas Escamadas - Paloma Ramírez y Benjamín Cuadras

Privado Mercado de San Juan

60 min

Velas escamadas, or scalloped wax candles, are a traditional craft from Guanajuato that brings together pre-Hispanic and colonial influences. Shaped from wax and adorned with delicate scale- and flower-like ornaments, these candles have been part of religious festivities and popular celebrations for generations. In this workshop, participants will learn basic shaping and decorating techniques while discovering a tradition that reflects Mexico’s rich cultural, spiritual, and artisanal heritage.

Calaveritas de Azúcar - José María Santiago Bautista

Privado de Taxido

60 min

Sugar skulls are one of Mexico’s most cherished symbols of Día de Muertos. Placed on traditional altars, they represent those who return to visit us and express a colorful and affectionate way of understanding death: as a natural part of existence and a reminder of our own mortality.

Tortillas Ancestrales - María del Consuelo Venancio

Terraza del Mercado de San Juan

45 min

This workshop offers an experience that introduces participants to a tradition of Otomí origin, bringing together gastronomy, identity, and community memory. Using traditional techniques, they will learn how to make and decorate tortillas with natural ingredients and wooden stamps, creating designs inspired by nature, spirituality, and the celebrations of Guanajuato. The experience helps preserve and share this valuable culinary knowledge.

Hojas de Papel Volando - Gabriel Carteño Ayala

Biblioteca Casa Artistas

60 min

By designing and hand-cutting paper with a hammer and chisel, participants will discover the meaning behind this technique, traditionally featured in altars and celebrations. They will create decorative pieces that honor the memory, identity, and roots of this Mexican tradition.

Calaveritas del Bajío - Alison Aril Flores Saldivar

Taller de Pintura y GrabadoCasa de los Artistas

60 min

This printmaking workshop draws inspiration from the skull imagery, legends, and rich cultural heritage of Guanajuato. In Calaveritas del Bajío, participants will learn printmaking techniques to create original images that celebrate Mexico’s graphic arts tradition and the identity of the region.

Las Jocecitas Iturbidenses - Lizet Magaly Chable y Mayra Genny Campos Acosta

Taller de TextilesCasa Diseño

60 min

The Josecitas are traditional handmade cloth dolls from San José Iturbide, Guanajuato, Mexico. They depict Mexican women from the time of the Mexican Revolution and feature details that evoke the history and traditions of their community. From their braided hair to their long skirts, each Josecita is a handcrafted piece that embodies the identity of the women of the region.

Raíces Funerarias - Lizette Hernandez y Carolina Bolaños

Taller de AlfareríaCasa Pirámide

60 min

This pre-Hispanic pottery workshop focuses on creating funerary objects inspired by ancestral clay pieces traditionally used as offerings on altars. Through hand-building techniques, participants will discover the historical and cultural significance of pre-Hispanic Chupícuaro pottery and incorporate iconography inspired by Guanajuato to create a piece that honors the memory, identity, and traditions of ancient Mexico.

Catrina Garbancera e Ix Maa Huayec

Foyer

60 min

Majestic and vibrant, Xcaret’s Catrina is much more than a figure: she is the living soul of Día de Muertos transformed into art. With a commanding presence that brings tradition and fantasy together, she pays tribute to the Mexican worldview surrounding death and celebrates it through color, music, and symbolism.

Un sueño de vida y muerte

Foro Casa de la Música

Step into the short film A Dream of Life and Death, a magical, surreal journey that begins in Xibalba and traces the tradition of ceremonial offerings from pre-Columbian times to the present day.

El pincel de Diego

Foro Casa de la Música

60 min

A performance inspired by the artwork of Diego Rivera, the renowned Mexican muralist from Guanajuato.

Catrina Garbancera e Ix Maa Uayec

Restaurante e instalaciones principales

60 min

Majestic and vibrant, Xcaret’s Catrina is much more than a figure: she is the living soul of Día de Muertos transformed into art. With a commanding presence that brings tradition and fantasy together, she pays tribute to the Mexican worldview surrounding death and celebrates it through color, music, and symbolism.

Altar Principal

Permanente