Merida, Yucatan — Around 70,000 people filled five kilometers of streets for the 20th edition of La Noche Blanca, the city’s flagship arts and culture festival, Mayor Cecilia Patron Laviada announced.
“We are a living city full of talent, where art and culture bring families together, strengthen our community, and let us reclaim our public spaces with joy and pride,” Patron said.
The mayor highlighted that more than 10,000 people sang and danced to Chico Che Chico, while 15,000 enjoyed a performance by Bacilos. “Seeing thousands of people enjoying concerts together fills us with emotion and pride,” she said.
La Noche Blanca began in 2013 and has become one of the most important cultural gatherings in southeastern Mexico. This year, 1,050 local, national, and international artists presented 210 activities at more than 80 venues, including parks, museums, theaters, galleries, and public spaces.
As part of a cultural decentralization strategy, new venues were added this year in the outlying communities of Chablekal and San Jose Tzal, as well as the Miguel Aleman and Nora Quintana neighborhoods, expanding access for more families.
In her inaugural speech, Patron said, “A street lit up and full of art is the best way a city can say: here we are, this is ours, and no one will take it from us.”
Merida holds UNESCO recognition as a Learning City and Creative City of Gastronomy, and ranks as Mexico’s second capital city for number of theaters and the city with the most cultural centers.
