Mexican city of Oxaca
If you are not a big fan of Christmas and you want to get away from the whole preparations and spend this time in a different way, you should go to the Mexican city of Oxaca, where every year on the 23th December the Night of the Radishes takes place (orig. Noche de rabanos). This out of ordinary festival has its beginning in 1897, in the “zocalo”, the main plaza. It attracts thousand of people every year, even though it lasts only a few hours.The event main theme is an exhibition of sculptures made from specially grown red radishes which can weigh up to 3 kilograms and be up to 50 centimeters long. Professional craftsmen and aficionados make the sculptures, who are mostly also radish growers.
The type of the sculptures vary in complete nativity scenes from party scenes with many figures to models of real buildings. The sculptures may also include other materials such as corn husks and dried flowers, but it is the creative cutting of the radish that gives the unique effect. During the festival the best sculpture is awarded and the first-prize winner gets the picture in the newspaper.
If you didn’t have plans how to spend the time before Christmas, the Night of the Radishes sounds like one. The colorful event, with the root vegetable playing main role, will make the time out of ordinary and memorable for a long time. You should also remember that Oxaca is not only the Night of the Radishes, but nit is also a really beautiful city, so after the festival make sure you have some time to explore it.
