The State of Mexico is preparing for one of its most important cultural celebrations of the year: the Festival del Quinto Sol, an event that honors the traditions, languages, and worldviews of the region’s indigenous peoples.
From March 15 to 21, the festival will bring together more than 500 cultural and artistic activities in 69 municipalities across the state.
For a whole week, you can enjoy traditional ceremonies, music, crafts, literature, exhibitions, workshops, dance, conferences, and cinema at various cultural venues.
Among the participating venues are 21 museums, such as the Museum of Fine Arts, the Watercolor Museum, the Mining Museum, and the Archaeological Museum of Valle de Bravo.
State libraries in municipalities such as Metepec, Toluca, Valle de Bravo, and Texcoco will also participate, as well as four venues of the Cineteca Mexiquense located in Lerma, Toluca, Tenango del Valle, and Rayón.
Ritual, culture, and activities to celebrate the equinox
One of the festival’s main attractions is the traditional ceremonies at archaeological sites, where communities and visitors gather to welcome the spring equinox with rituals, songs, and dances.
You can also see regional dances, traditional textile fashion shows, pre-Hispanic ball games, bonfires with songs, and cultural presentations that celebrate the richness of the indigenous communities of the State of Mexico.
The program also includes free workshops to learn different craft and cultural traditions. Among them will be workshops on clay, tule, pre-Hispanic masks, and the Nahuatl language, ideal for introducing you to ancestral knowledge.
During the week, there will also be screenings of documentaries, films, and short films, as well as storytelling, conferences, and exhibitions at various cultural venues throughout the state.
If you like nature and astronomy, there will also be sky observation with telescopes, both day and night. Added to this are experiences such as temazcales, fire ceremonies, walks inside volcanoes, and presentations by the Papantla flyers.
As the activities are spread across different municipalities and venues, it is best to consult the complete program to organize your visit and not miss any of the events.
