May 17th, 2023
Pueblos del Maíz is a festival that celebrates its roots in the sacred corn crop and takes place in Mérida, a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy since 2019. The festival aims to promote the work of producers, chefs, and advocates of maize, emphasizing its value in Yucatecan culture and fostering connections with other communities.
Corn has been the dietary and nutritional foundation of the population of Yucatán for a millennia. Its strength and presence across centuries, from generation to generation, grant it a privileged place in the worldview and creation narrative of the Maya people. According to the Popol Vuh, all human beings are “children of corn.”
Mérida joins this celebration to promote the work carried out by producers, chefs, and advocates of this ingredient, always highlighting its value in our culture and forging connections with other communities.
Pueblos del Maíz is a rich event for the whole family that combines gastronomy, culture, entertainment, and the traceability of maize. It highlights the central role of maize in Yucatán and Mexico, and it serves as a culinary and cultural bridge between the Mexican cities of Mérida and Puebla, and the North American cities of Tucson and San Antonio.
The festival promotes local economic reactivation, gastronomic tourism, cultural exchange, and collaboration among these four regions, which share a long history of maize consumption.
The initiative of Pueblos del Maíz aims to recognize and showcase the traditions, creativity, and intangible cultural heritage of each of the four cities.
Come on down and participate in the Events!
May 19th
Academic agenda
Panel discussion in Spanish: “Tradition and Modernity,” an international perspective on maize, its uses, and derivatives in gastronomy
Location: Council Room, Central Building, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán
- Hours: 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Participants:
- Roderick Ledesma, Guest Chef (Tucson, Arizona)
- Traditional Cook
- Mohit Bhojwani, Corn Ambassador in Southeast Mexico
Culinary Experience Centered around Maize
Location: Gastronomy Laboratory, Universidad Marista-
Hours: 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Participants:
- Roderick Ledesma, Guest Chef (Tucson, Arizona)
- Traditional Cook
To register for both events, you can do so through the following link: http://www.merida.gob.mx/capacitacionturistica/
May 20th
Gastronomic Corridor
- 23 exhibitors of traditional street food centered around maize, as well as 4 stands with didactic activities, all along a corridor located in Parque de la Mejorada, on Calle 50-A
- Hours: 5:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Attendees can also enjoy a lineup of activities featuring:
6:00 pm: Pok ta Pok (One of the favorite shows for locals and visitors, representing the ancient Maya ball game)
7:00 pm: Rap Maya (El chepe Yucatán) (A singer-songwriter with songs in Maya, encouraging the audience to learn about our roots through Maya questions, tongue twisters, and even inviting them to participate by singing in Maya. He also encourages children to improvise in Maya during the show.)
8:00 pm: Los Juglares
9:00 pm: Grupo la Siembra (A group with a musical repertoire of Salsa, Cuban music, cha-cha-cha, bolero, and cumbia that will get everyone dancing)
10:00 pm: DJ Gary (A dance/latin music DJ who participated in the past Carnival 2023)
For more information on the city and its attractions, a good resource to check out is https://visitmerida.mx/inicio.
You can also download their app “Visit Mérida Mx” for Android and iPhone, available at
https://apps.apple.com/mx/app/visit-mérida-mx/id1532687136 /
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rckgames.visitmeridamx&hl=es_MX&gl=US&pli=1.
Also keep updated on the latest and follow our account and the City of Merida at:
Events in Merida/Eventos en Merida: https://events.midcitybeat.com/