Tulum’s Feria de la Cancha Maya to Gather Five Ceremonial Centers

Tulum, Quintana Roo — Maya dignitaries in Tulum are preparing a new edition of the traditional Feria de la Cancha Maya, a ten-day celebration that will bring together representatives of five ceremonial centers along with families and producers from Maya communities, organizer Nicasio Canché Catzín announced.

The fair will run from Oct. 6 to 15, with an opening ceremony scheduled for 8 p.m. on the first day. Organizers said they are currently securing permits and coordinating the security and civil protection measures needed to hold activities throughout the ten days of celebration.

Traditions Passed to New Generations

Canché Catzín said the program includes an alborada, or early morning mass, on Oct. 7, along with a series of ceremonies and gatherings scheduled according to the calendar of participation set by the dignitaries. The fair allows representatives of the ceremonial centers to keep alive practices that remain central to Maya religious and community life.

The celebration will also open space for families and producers from Maya communities, who will offer handicrafts, food and goods made using traditional methods. The event combines religious ceremonies with activities that showcase the work and knowledge still active in the region’s communities.

Canché Catzín noted that all five ceremonial centers continue to take part in the celebration and that young people from new generations have joined in learning these traditions. The Feria de la Cancha Maya remains a meeting point between communities, where ceremonies, food and handicrafts serve to pass cultural practices on to those who will carry them forward.