Yucatán’s state fair will return to Xmatkuil on Nov. 4 after a three-year absence.
The event will go on for a full month, with events wrapping up Dec. 4.
In 2018, the fairgrounds in Mérida’s south attracted more than two million visitors, according to official records.
The festivities will kick off with the fair’s traditional cattle auction, which until the 1990s was considered the festival’s main event.
But in recent decades, the Feria de Xmatkuil, as it is known locally, has become best known for its concerts, mechanical rides, and food stalls.
The fair has also become an important distribution point for merchants from across the country who come to sell wares including Talavera-style plates from Puebla and ceramics from Mexico State.
Other events such as mixed martial arts exhibitions, wrestling matches, and dog shows have also been recently introduced in an effort to diversify the fairs’ offerings.
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That being said, the fair still retains much of its original purpose, serving as an important market for farmers.
“We have been working to make Xmatkuil a reality in 2022 for months now but had decided to not announce anything until we got the green light from the government,” said event organizer Esteban Abraham Macari.
The return of the state fair, along with an expanded Carnaval program and other massive events such as Tahmek’s Mayan Balloon Festival, represent for many that the COVID-19 pandemic is “effectively over” in Yucatán.
But state authorities continue to stress the importance of vaccinations, as well as wearing facemasks, especially indoors.
“We have worked too hard and sacrificed too much to let our guard down now,” said Yucatán Gov. Mauricio Vila Dosal.
