With the First Invitation, Oaxaca begins the July Festivities, the Month of the Guelaguetza 2026 ... Zipolite , Puerto Escondido, and Ocotlán de Morelos, led by the Chinas Oaxaqueñas of Genoveva Medina and accompanied by the Banda de Música de ... |
Oaxaca de Juárez, Oaxaca, July 1, 2026 – As every year, the First Convite announced the arrival of the biggest celebration for the people of Oaxaca, bringing music, dance, and joy from the villages to the streets of the capital city's Historic Center. With this celebration, the State Government kicked off the July festivities, the month of the 2026 Guelaguetza, one of the state's most representative cultural expressions.
In the presence of the Governor of the State, Salomón Jara Cruz, and the Honorary President of the DIF Oaxaca System, Irma Bolaños Quijano, the representative of the Goddess Centéotl 2026, Enid Azucena Torres Agustiniano, inaugurated these celebrations with a call to all the cultures of the state: “Our identity is a source of pride, not shame, that is why I ask everyone to respect the customs and traditions and feel a deep love for the Guelaguetza,” she emphasized.
The Secretary of Culture and Arts, Flavio Sosa Villavicencio, joined the opening ceremony and stated that the state is a land full of beauty. “May this gathering also be a way to prolong the initial enchantment,” he concluded.
Previously, the procession departed from the Aqueduct of the Xochimilco neighborhood, in which the delegations of Villa de Zaachila, Tlacolula de Matamoros, Zipolite, Puerto Escondido and Ocotlán de Morelos participated, led by the Chinas Oaxaqueñas of Genoveva Medina and accompanied by the Music Band of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection; filling the streets with music, dance and tradition.
This route took participants through the main streets of the capital city to reach the Plaza de la Danza, where the opening day continued. Attendees took part in a welcoming ritual, followed by traditional chirimía music and the dance performance "Opening of the July Festivities," presented by the Ritmo de mi Raza folk dance company.
The celebration continued with the participation of the El Almendro Children's and Youth Band and culminated with the presentation of Cumbia Sae, which set the rhythm for the public to enjoy and dance in a convivial atmosphere.
Thus, amidst music, dances and the enthusiasm of thousands of people, Oaxaca opened the curtain on the July Festivals, the month of the Guelaguetza 2026, a time to celebrate the generosity, diversity and living heritage that distinguish the 16 cultures of the indigenous and Afro-Mexican peoples of the state.
