By Alicia Flores

Every July, the city of Oaxaca bursts into celebration. This year, the famous Lunes del Cerro—known as the Guelaguetza—will take place on July 21 and July 28, 2025, in the iconic amphitheater atop Cerro del Fortín. It’s more than a festival—it’s a kaleidoscope of music, dance, tradition, and the spirit of community drawn from Oaxaca’s eight distinct cultural regions.

The Guelaguetza has ancient roots in Zapotec rituals, originally honoring Centéotl, the goddess of corn, in ceremonies that asked for rain and bountiful harvests. With the arrival of the Spanish, these traditions merged with Catholic celebrations of the Virgin of Carmen, whose feast day is July 16. By the 1930s—after a devastating earthquake and the founding of modern Oaxaca City—the festival evolved into a cultural event. It was first called the “Homenaje Racial” in 1932 and has since become a joyful, theatrical, and deeply symbolic showcase of Oaxacan identity.

Five Must-See Dances
1. Danza de la Pluma (Central Valleys)
Perhaps the most iconic of all, this feathered dance dramatizes the Spanish conquest from an Indigenous perspective. It’s elaborate, reflective, and filled with historical symbolism—often closing the show with a sense of pride and endurance.

2. Flor de Piña (Papaloapan Region – Tuxtepec)
Choreographed in 1958 by Paulina Solís, this dance features dozens of women in bright huipiles carrying pineapples on their shoulders. With precise footwork and elegant movements, they offer their piñas to the audience as a gesture of reciprocity and community.

3. Jarabe Mixteco (Mixteca Region)
Set to the nostalgic tones of “La Canción Mixteca,” this dance is both joyful and emotional. It pays tribute to the resilience of the Mixtec people, many of whom live between migration and home, heartache and pride.

4. Sones y Chilenas (Oaxacan Coast – Pinotepa Nacional) Flirtatious, fiery, and full of rhythm, this coastal dance combines energetic footwork, playful handkerchiefs, and cheeky lyrics. It’s the Oaxacan party spirit in motion—sun-soaked and bold.

5. Danza de los Jardines (Sierra Norte/Sierra Sur)
This lesser-known piece enchants with its sweetness. Young girls dressed as flowers and plants dance in gentle patterns that represent the lush fertility of Oaxaca’s forests and gardens.

So if you find yourself in Oaxaca this July, bring your open heart, your curiosity, and maybe a good sunhat. You’ll leave with more than memories—you’ll leave with a little bit of every region tucked into your soul. Because the Guelaguetza is not just a festival; it’s a living, breathing act of cultural generosity. It reminds us that identity isn’t about isolation or hierarchy—it’s about exchange. Every embroidered huipil, every burst of brass and marimba, every shared fruit or dance step is a message: we are different, and we are connected. That’s the beauty of Oaxaca.