30th anniversaryOctober 30–31November 1–2, 2026

30 years of the Festival of Light and Life

Four nights, from October 30 to November 2: offerings sailing across the lagoon, the whole town walking with torches toward the water, sawdust carpets down the streets and a 400 m² pyramid ablaze in the middle of the lagoon.

How not to miss out

  1. Buy your ticket on the official siteAssigned seating, and each night is sold separately.
  2. Book lodging the same dayIt is the busiest weekend of the year: hotels fill up weeks ahead.
  3. Arrive while it is still lightThe town center closes to traffic and the entrance to the lagoon gets packed at nightfall.
Buy tickets Discover the festival

We do not sell tickets: the button takes you to the festival’s official box office.

Dancers in feathered headdresses and colorful costumes perform on the lagoon stage during the Festival of Light and Life show
The dance of the plumed headdresses
A performer in the Light and Life show with a red-feathered headdress, a skull on the headpiece and a face painted as a skull
The characters
Dancers with white veils like wings in front of the pyramid lit in purple, with flaming torches above, during the Festival of Light and Life show
Fire atop the pyramid
A colorful sawdust carpet with a pre-Hispanic figure covers the street at night, between rows of young people in painted white ponchos holding smoking incense burners, staffs and shields, during the Festival of Light and Life
The sawdust carpets
Itineraries

Your plans, ready to go

Tell us how much time you have and we will tell you what to see, in what order and what to leave for next time. With real times and almost everything on foot.

The Virgin of the Immaculate Conception in the Basilica of Chignahuapan: the painted statue holding the Christ Child, with her crown of golden rays, against the gold mosaic wall Half a day The magical heart The plaza and bandstand, the Parish church, the Basilica’s Virgin and an ornament to take home. All on foot. See the plan A craftswoman shapes an ornament with the blowtorch in her workshop One day Town, water and light The lagoon at sunrise, the town center, the ornament workshops, barbacoa or trout, and hot springs to finish. See the plan The Quetzalapan waterfalls seen from the side: the water drops down the rock face through the mist and the mountain forest Weekend The whole sierra The town center, the Quetzalapan waterfalls, the town lit up at night, the lagoon at sunrise and hot springs before the drive home. See the plan An illuminated raft with a colorful serpent and skull figures sails across the lagoon at night, in front of packed stands Festival weekend · Oct 30 – Nov 2 Light and Life, 30 years Carpets and torches in the afternoon, the show on the lagoon at night and, on November 1, the Offering of a Thousand Lights. See the plan
Traveler’s Guide · Fall-winter 2026

All of this, in one PDF for your trip

The nine must-sees with their opening hours, ready-made itineraries, the Festival of Light and Life’s 30th anniversary, the festivities through December and QR codes so you never get lost in town.

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Explore

Everything you need, one click away

The Chignahuapan hot springs from a drone: turquoise pools, the hotel and the forested ravine

Lodging

Hotels & cabins →
 Chignahuapan barbacoa served on a maguey leaf: ribs and shredded meat with rice, limes, consommé and salsa

Food & Drink

Where to eat & drink →
 An off-road RZR decorated with colorful skulls stops on a hilltop at sunset, overlooking the valley and the mountains

Activities

What to do →
 A downtown Chignahuapan street full of visitors on a sunny day, lined with shops selling Christmas decorations, with a church tower in the background

Our recommendation

One day or a weekend →
 The kiosk in the main square of Chignahuapan by day, under a blue sky

Did you know?

The town's story →
 Dancers in feathered headdresses and colorful embroidered costumes perform at sunset, surrounded by visitors

Events

Calendar →
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What's around you
And the practical stuff 17 parking lots 5 ATMs 5 public restrooms

No sign-up, nothing to install. It works right from your phone standing in the plaza.

The main square of Chignahuapan and its arcades seen from the sky in the 360 tour, with the mountains behind
360°

Fly over the town

Tour Chignahuapan from the sky in real 360 photos: the plaza, the lagoon, the temples — by day, at dawn and at night.

DayDawnNight Enter the tour →
Watch it

Chignahuapan, on video

A flight over the Magical Town: ornaments, hot springs, waterfalls, tradition and magic.

Hand-painted blue and white ornaments on a snowy tree Freshly made tlacoyos at the market Seasonal chile en nogada The silvering wheel in an ornament workshop: glass ornaments spin inside the tank as they are silvered The forest-covered Chignahuapan volcano, seen from the air The rainbow ornament
What to see

Nine treasures, one destination

Every treasure is an ornament: tap it to discover it.

See all nine with hours and tips
All nine on the map

Find them all

Open full map
Interactive map of Chignahuapan with the places marked
Chignahuapan today

What's happening now

Upcoming events
See full calendar
The Eternal Christmas Alley at dusk, at street level: the long walkway of arches covered in lights and garlands beside the arcades, with visitors strolling underneath
New on the main square

The Alley of Eternal Christmas

The town council opened it in August 2026 in the center of Chignahuapan: half a million lights and 10,000 ornaments that celebrate the creativity and hard work of the families who make Christmas ornaments. Among the lights hang wooden ornaments with written wishes.

  • WhereOn the zócalo, the main square
  • WhenIt lights up at sunset

Christmas season 2026: the lighting of the monumental tree and the giant ornament on October 24, and the International Tree and Ornament Fair from November 20 to 29. More than 1.5 million visitors are expected.

See the Christmas seasonThe Home of the OrnamentThe Ornament Fair
Services

What you need on arrival

ATMs, restrooms and parking.

Before you come, our guides:

How to get to Chignahuapan Weather and best time to visit Chignahuapan hot springs
RouteChigni Another way to discover Chignahuapan Eat, explore, tradition and magic: four routes with Chigni as your companion. See the route