{"id":247758,"date":"2026-11-06T14:11:04","date_gmt":"2026-11-06T12:11:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/?p=247758"},"modified":"2026-11-06T14:11:05","modified_gmt":"2026-11-06T12:11:05","slug":"7-surprising-festivals-to-discover-in-latin-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/visit-latin-america.com\/en\/7-surprising-festivals-to-discover-in-latin-america\/","title":{"rendered":"7 surprising festivals to discover in Latin America"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From Mexico to Uruguay, via Nicaragua and Brazil, here are seven celebrations that each reveal a different facet of Latin American culture. Behind these sometimes surprising customs lie stories, beliefs and forms of know-how passed down through several generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. Noche de R\u00e1banos: when radishes become sculptures in Mexico<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Oaxaca, Mexico<\/a> | 23 December<\/p>\n\n\n

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Every year, as Christmas approaches, the city of Oaxaca<\/strong> holds a rather unusual competition: artisans present sculptures made from radishes. Displayed around the Z\u00f3calo<\/em>, the central square, the creations depict characters, monuments, traditional dances and scenes from everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The custom dates back to the late 19th century, when market gardeners decorated their stalls with carved radishes to attract customers. The initiative gradually grew, and the first official competition was held in 1897.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, participants use radishes grown especially for the occasion, whose size makes it possible to create elaborate compositions. The competition also includes categories dedicated to totomoxtle<\/em>, the dried leaves surrounding ears of corn, and flor inmortal<\/em>, a flower used in local crafts. An original Christmas tradition that continues to mobilise artisans from the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2. Guatemala\u2019s giant kites: messages sent to ancestors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sumpango and Santiago Sacatep\u00e9quez, Guatemala<\/a> | 1 November<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every 1 November, enormous kites decorated with multicoloured motifs appear in Sumpango<\/strong> and Santiago Sacatep\u00e9quez<\/strong>, two towns located near Guatemala City. Some exceed ten metres in diameter and require several months of preparation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In these Maya-Kaqchikel communities, the barriletes gigantes<\/strong><\/em> accompany All Saints\u2019 Day celebrations and symbolise the link between the living and their ancestors. According to local beliefs, they make it possible to send messages to loved ones who have passed away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Groups of barrileteros<\/em> build the bamboo structures before covering them with coloured paper. The largest kites are displayed vertically, while smaller models can take flight. In Santiago Sacatep\u00e9quez, the ceremonies take place mainly around the cemetery, while in Sumpango the monumental creations are presented on a nearby field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, UNESCO inscribed the techniques for making these kites on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognising a form of know-how passed down within the communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Our article: All Saints\u2019 Day in Guatemala: the flight of the giant kite<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/em>s<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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