15th Festival of Life and Death Traditions 2021: Quintana Roo is the special guest this year!

This year Quintana Roo is slated to be the special focus of the 15 th Festival of Life and Death Traditions, and those of us who have attended past editions know that it’s a guarantee of fun culinary events, along with Mexico’s famed All Souls’ customs and traditions.
The Festival will be held from October 30th to November 2nd, and will feature a wide range of activities to commemorate the Day of the Dead in Playa del Carmen. Xcaret Park will be the main venue for the traditional Festival of Life and Death Traditions. The Hotel Xcaret México and the Hotel Xcaret Arte will also be offering
their guests a variety of culinary delights, art workshops, and spectacular altars to the dead, among other surprises.

At a press conference held last Tuesday September 21 st , Leticia Aguerrebere, the director of the Festival, stated:
“We are proud to announce that this year the Festival of Life and Death Traditions will be celebrating its 15 th edition. The Festival has become emblematic for the Quintana Roo community, a basic reference for new generations and an opportunity to continue showcasing part of our cultural wealth and love of Mexico to Mexican and foreign
visitors alike”.

To give you an idea of the activities for you to choose from (I know, there are so many to choose from this year that it will be difficult to go to all of them) these are just some of the events that will be held at the official venues:

• Parque Xcaret will be graced by the presence of well-known Mexican actors such as Ignacio López Tarso, who will be performing in Macario, el Ahijado de la Muerte (Macario, Godson of Death); theatre and musical shows featuring regional artists through Titeradas; local and in-house artists, concerts, and the Xcaret ball game; and dance performances featuring dance companies and artists from the Maya region of Mexico. The Hacienda Interactiva will be organizing exhibitions and activities for the whole family. There will also be culinary tasting sessions highlighting the dishes of the three regions of Quintana Roo, where visitors can sample traditional dishes such as tikin xik fish, candied pumpkin, “panuchos” and “salbutes”, “relleno negro”, “tamales sancochados”, stuffed cheese, hot chocolate,
  and churros, among many other delicacies. And like in all previous years, Xcaret will be showcasing the products and crafts of local farmers and artisans. Furthermore, at the end of each day the Festival will feature a spectacular close with a Gala Concert, included in the ticket price, which this time will feature a musical repertory alluding to the Day of the Dead featuring the Xcaret Symphony Chamber Orchestra, along with the Women’s Mariachi band and singers, to be held in the open-air forum.
• Hotel Xcaret México will be offering an exquisite and innovative culinary experience with gourmet dishes and fusion gastronomy inspired by the Maya region –created by Chef Carlos Gaytán with the assistance of Orlando Trejo’s wide-ranging culinary expertise at Restaurante Há– while Las Cuevas Restaurant will be depicting the
  Maya underworld as you savor the Hanal Pixán or All Souls’ Banquet with a buffet alluding to the Day of the Dead. Guests will also be able to witness various musical interludes, artistic performances, photo sessions with La Catrina, and a clown theater.
• Hotel Xcaret Arte will be organizing painting, pottery and textile workshops in which to create unique pieces referring to the festivities, in addition to music and dance performances, a photographic exhibition, parades and encounters with La Catrina.

Playa del Carmen’s City Theater and the SAYAB planetarium, also in Playa del Carmen, will also be putting on theater shows for the whole family on November 3 rd .  Xcaret, in conjunction with Fundación Truperías will be taking a Day of the Dead roadshow to local communities, together with art workshops for children. The 15 th Festival of Life and Death Traditions will be promoting Mexican talent with 28 artistic groups, 251 artists, 9 stages, 185 performances, and 10 shows and exhibitions, while extending support to local communities through theater performances
and workshops in their communities, benefiting 10 municipalities through the sale of food and arts and handicrafts; 56 people from eight communities will be taking part in culinary activities, along with 40 Quintana Roo artisans.

The 15 th Festival of Life and Death Traditions will be taking place with a limited attendance in accordance with the State of Quintana Roo color-graded pandemic severity signal and following the protocols and measures of the 360° Safety Model, in order to offer memorable experiences in a safe setting designed to ensure the wellbeing of visitors, hosts, community and collaborators alike.
Tickets will be available as of today on www.festivaldevidaymuerte.com with discounts available until October 25th.

We recommend you purchase your tickets as soon as possible because they sell out quickly and every edition of the Festival exceeds expectations.