Noche de Rabanos (Night of the Radish) is a celebration unique to Oaxaca – nowhere else in Mexico is there a festival such as this. And believe me, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! People come from all over the region come to compete, creating ornate pieces of artwork out of overly large radishes.We ventured down to the Zocalo (main square) around 4 pm as we were told to get there early. As we got close, we knew that we were not early enough – it was clear that people take Noche de Rabanos quite seriously! The Zocalo is typically a crowded place, but on this day in particular the blocks surrounding the Zocalo were packed with
people. It seemed evident by the police and 
military presence with bullet proof vests, riot gear, and huge automatic weapons that this was not a typical day. Ironically, it was one of the most organized and peaceful crowds of people we’ve ever encountered.
As we approached, we could see the radish displays and the large walkway/viewing area that surrounded them, and figured we would make our way to the start of the line. We got to the entrance, and realized that the line extended the length of an entire block – and snaked up and back 4 times over (think airport security line, but the length of a city block). We decided to get in line to see how quickly it moved, not really sure if we’d stay in line depending on Mia’s tolerance
for waiting. After an hour, Mia had consumed an entire sleeve of crackers and was nearly on the verge of epic meltdown, when a kind woman handed Mia a balloon, which was the saving grace we needed to make it 5 more minutes in line.
The first displays were made entirely out of flowers, then some made from corn husks, and the bulk of the displays were radishes. Most of the displays had religious significance – the Virgin de Soledad (patron saint of Oaxaca), nativity scenes, Virgin of Guadalupe, churches, and altars – and others that celebrated Mexican culture – dancers, parades, and even Freda Kahlo, a famous Mexican artist. They were amazing, had incredible detail and clearly a ton of time went into them.
After the excitement, we sat at an outdoor café on the Zocalo to get some much-needed nourishment and to sit down for a bit. We snacked on passion fruit, peanuts with lime juice, and agua de sandia (watermelon juice). After that, we ventured to a rooftop Italian restaurant for a bottle of wine and pizza with friends. Not the best pizza, but it was nice to have a change of pace for our taste buds. The view was wonderful and provided a great vantage point to watch the crowds and the occasional fireworks. All in all, a great day! Happy Birthday Lindsey!
military presence with bullet proof vests, riot gear, and huge automatic weapons that this was not a typical day. Ironically, it was one of the most organized and peaceful crowds of people we’ve ever encountered.As we approached, we could see the radish displays and the large walkway/viewing area that surrounded them, and figured we would make our way to the start of the line. We got to the entrance, and realized that the line extended the length of an entire block – and snaked up and back 4 times over (think airport security line, but the length of a city block). We decided to get in line to see how quickly it moved, not really sure if we’d stay in line depending on Mia’s tolerance
for waiting. After an hour, Mia had consumed an entire sleeve of crackers and was nearly on the verge of epic meltdown, when a kind woman handed Mia a balloon, which was the saving grace we needed to make it 5 more minutes in line.The first displays were made entirely out of flowers, then some made from corn husks, and the bulk of the displays were radishes. Most of the displays had religious significance – the Virgin de Soledad (patron saint of Oaxaca), nativity scenes, Virgin of Guadalupe, churches, and altars – and others that celebrated Mexican culture – dancers, parades, and even Freda Kahlo, a famous Mexican artist. They were amazing, had incredible detail and clearly a ton of time went into them.
After the excitement, we sat at an outdoor café on the Zocalo to get some much-needed nourishment and to sit down for a bit. We snacked on passion fruit, peanuts with lime juice, and agua de sandia (watermelon juice). After that, we ventured to a rooftop Italian restaurant for a bottle of wine and pizza with friends. Not the best pizza, but it was nice to have a change of pace for our taste buds. The view was wonderful and provided a great vantage point to watch the crowds and the occasional fireworks. All in all, a great day! Happy Birthday Lindsey!
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