Oaxaca City’s events calendar is one of the richest in the Americas, anchored by two world-famous celebrations that draw visitors from every continent: Day of the Dead in late October/early November and the Guelaguetza indigenous cultural festival in July. Beyond these headliners, Oaxaca fills the year with religious feast days, food festivals, art events, and the utterly unique Night of the Radishes. Here is what is happening in Oaxaca City month by month. For help timing your visit around these events, check the best time to visit Oaxaca City guide.
Oaxaca City Events: Day of the Dead (October 31 to November 2)
Day of the Dead (Dia de Muertos) in Oaxaca City is the most spectacular celebration of this tradition anywhere in Mexico, rivalling even Patzcuaro and Mixquic. The dates are fixed: October 31 (preparations and children’s altars), November 1 (Dia de los Inocentes, honouring deceased children), and November 2 (Dia de los Muertos, honouring deceased adults). In practice, the city transforms for a full week from roughly October 28 through November 3. Key experiences: the comparsas (costumed street parades with brass bands) that fill the historic centre each evening; the elaborate sand tapestries (tapetes de arena) created in the Zocalo and along the Andador Turistico; the altar competitions at the Panteon General (main cemetery) and Panteon de Xochimilco; the decorated tombs covered in marigolds, candles, copal incense, and offerings of pan de muerto, mole, and mezcal at the cemeteries in Xoxocotlan and Santa Maria Atzompa; and the nightly comparsa procession from the Templo de Santo Domingo to the Zocalo. Hotel rates triple during this period. Book flights and accommodations 3-4 months in advance. Most museums and archaeological sites stay open with regular hours.
Oaxaca City Events: Guelaguetza Festival (Last Two Mondays of July)
La Guelaguetza is the largest indigenous cultural festival in the Americas, a celebration of Oaxaca’s 16 recognised indigenous groups and eight geographic regions. The name comes from the Zapotec word meaning ‘mutual offering’ or ‘reciprocal exchange’. The main events take place on the last two Mondays of July (dates shift slightly each year) at the Auditorio Guelaguetza on Cerro del Fortin, a 12,000-seat open-air amphitheatre overlooking the city. Each region performs traditional dances in full costume, concluding with the throwing of gifts (fruit, bread, pottery, textiles) into the audience. Tickets for the auditorium shows cost MXN 500-1,200 depending on seat location and sell out months ahead. However, the entire city fills with free parallel events throughout the preceding week: the Desfile de las Delegaciones (parade of delegations) on the Saturday before; free open-air concerts, dance performances, and mezcal fairs in the Zocalo, the Jardin El Pañuelito, and the Plaza de la Danza; the Mezcal Fair at the Centro Cultural y de Convenciones; and the expo-ferias showcasing regional crafts and cuisine at the Paseo Juarez El Llano park. Hotel prices reach their annual peak during Guelaguetza. Book 3-4 months ahead. July is rainy season; the auditorium has a roof but bring a light rain jacket for walking between events.
Oaxaca City Events: Night of the Radishes (December 23)
La Noche de Rabanos (Night of the Radishes) is a one-night-only event on December 23 that is utterly unique to Oaxaca City. Local artisans and farmers carve elaborate sculptures, nativity scenes, mythical creatures, and even entire buildings from giant radishes specially cultivated for this event (these radishes grow to over 50cm and weigh up to 3kg, and are grown only for the competition; they are not edible). The event takes over the entire Zocalo starting in the early afternoon, with judging in multiple categories including traditional scenes and free-form sculpture. The radish sculptures wilt quickly so everything happens in a few hours. The crowd density is extreme, comparable to Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Arrive by 3pm to see the sculptures at their freshest. Parallel competitions feature figures made from dried corn husks (totomoxtle) and dried flowers (flor inmortal). The event is totally free and attended almost entirely by locals and domestic Mexican tourists. Mexican food stalls ring the Zocalo selling buñuelos (fried dough), champurrado (thick chocolate atole), and tamales.
Oaxaca City Events: Annual Festival Calendar
January to March
- January 6 (Dia de Reyes / Three Kings Day): Families share the rosca de reyes (ring-shaped sweet bread) in the Zocalo. Anyone who finds the plastic baby Jesus figurine in their slice hosts a tamale party on February 2.
- February 2 (Dia de la Candelaria / Candlemas): Tamale parties throughout the city. The Virgen de la Candelaria is paraded through the streets of the Jalatlaco neighbourhood. Atole (warm corn drink) and tamales are sold everywhere.
- March/April (Semana Santa / Easter Week, dates vary): Elaborate Good Friday processions with hooded penitents wind through the historic centre. The Procesion del Silencio on Good Friday evening is the most solemn event. Hotels fill with Mexican domestic tourists; book ahead.
April to June
- Last Monday of April (Fiesta del Mulato en la Candelaria): A neighbourhood festival in La Candelaria with live bands playing until dawn, free food distributed to attendees, and a massive castillo (firework tower). Gritty, local, and zero tourists.
- May (Feria del Mezcal, dates vary): Oaxaca’s premier mezcal fair at the Paseo Juarez El Llano park, with over 100 producers offering free tastings. The best opportunity to sample rare agave varietals in one place. Mid-range bottles sell for MXN 200-400 direct from producers.
- May 23 (Fiesta de San Isidro Labrador in Santa Maria Atzompa): A syncretic indigenous-Catholic festival in the pottery village of Atzompa featuring a procession of oxen, copal incense, and green corn tamales.
July to September
- July (Guelaguetza, last two Mondays): See detailed section above. The entire month of July fills with related cultural events.
- August 15 (Fiesta de la Virgen de la Asuncion): The feast day of Oaxaca’s patron saint fills the cathedral and Zocalo with processions, fireworks, and calendas (walking parades with giant paper-mache puppets called marmotas).
- September 15-16 (Mexican Independence Day): The Grito de Independencia (Cry of Independence) is re-enacted from the Government Palace balcony in the Zocalo at 11pm on September 15. Fireworks follow. September 16 sees a military parade along Calle Independencia.
October to December
- October 31 to November 2 (Day of the Dead): See detailed section above.
- November (Festival Internacional de Cine de Oaxaca, dates vary): A growing international film festival with screenings at the Teatro Macedonio Alcala and open-air venues. Focus on indigenous and Latin American cinema.
- December 16-24 (Las Posadas): Nine nights of neighbourhood processions re-enacting Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter, concluding with piñatas and ponche (warm fruit punch). Calle Alcala and Jalatlaco neighbourhood host the most photogenic posadas.
- December 23 (Night of the Radishes): See detailed section above.
- December 24 (Nochebuena / Christmas Eve): Late-night Mass at the Catedral de Oaxaca followed by family dinners. Restaurants close early; book a hotel restaurant if eating out.
- December 31 (New Year’s Eve): The Zocalo fills with families in formal wear, live bands, and a midnight fireworks display. Hotels host gala dinners (MXN 1,500-3,000 per person).
