Cancún, Quintana Roo — The Benito Juárez municipal government has begun preparations for a new edition of the Guelaguetza Festival in Cancún, set for late July. Organizers expect more than 180 merchants, artisans, and exhibitors to participate, with activities expanding onto Yaxchilán Avenue to boost the local economy and showcase Oaxacan culture.
José Gamaliel Canto, director of Commerce and Services on Public Roads for the municipality, said the festival is still in the planning stages but is tentatively scheduled for the last weekend of July, from July 24 to 26. The event will feature cultural, gastronomic, and artisan activities, including the traditional Calenda parade led by members of Cancún’s Oaxacan community.
“We have already begun official preparations for the Guelaguetza Festival. We are touring the areas where the Calenda might pass to define the logistics and ensure everything runs smoothly,” Canto said.
A key change this year is that activities will not be limited to Parque de las Palapas but will also extend along Yaxchilán Avenue, aiming to revitalize that commercial corridor and provide a broader route for visitors and participants. The Calenda will march down the avenue as in previous editions, filling the area with music, dance, and color.
The festival will include a gastronomic pavilion and an artisan pavilion where attendees can purchase a wide variety of products. Canto detailed that between 70 and 80 merchants and a similar number of artisans are expected, totaling around 160 local exhibitors set up behind Parque de las Palapas and along the corridor connecting to Yaxchilán Avenue. An additional 25 Oaxacan merchants will run a separate gastronomic pavilion offering traditional dishes from Oaxaca, bringing the total to more than 180 participants over the three-day event.
The program will kick off with a cultural festival on Thursday, July 23, followed by the official start of the Calenda and artistic activities on Friday, which will continue through Sunday.
Canto noted that this will be the second Guelaguetza Festival organized under the current municipal administration. In 2025, the Calenda traveled along Tulum Avenue before entering Parque de las Palapas; this year, adjustments are being considered to move the parade to Yaxchilán Avenue to help reactivate that commercial area.
The 2025 edition drew more than 30,000 attendees over three days, solidifying the festival as the third most important event of its kind outside Oaxaca state, dedicated to Oaxacan crafts, culture, and cuisine.
