A Week in Mérida: The Magic Never Ends

Free cultural events every night of the week

Mérida’s Centro, specifically Plaza Grande, is now finished, so most of the events for Semana Meridana are back to their regular places.

Mérida is a vibrant, cultural city, where every day of the week, all year long, you’ll find a wide variety of fabulous free events to check out in the weekly Semana Meridana.

Genuine pride in local culture and history runs through the events of the Semana Meridana. Yucatecans are extremely proud of their heritage and the clear delight in being able to share it with visitors is a joy to behold.

While being able to speak Spanish will be useful at the events, all can still be enjoyed without doing so. If you do speak Spanish, you'll be able to be amused by the explanations of local traditional dress and dance styles as well as the poetry and jokes that accompany the events.

Monday

Vaquería Traditional Dance

Merida's Town Hall

Time: 9 to 10 pm

Begin the week in the Plaza Grande with the Vaquería, a traditional celebration that began during the Spanish rule and which has stayed at the heart of Yucatecan culture. The dancers are all dressed in stunning traditional clothing, and watching their feet move in a blur is always my favorite part of this show. If you speak Spanish you’ll also enjoy the tradition of the Bomba, a comedic, rhymed pattern between each dance. Limited seating, but can stand and watch.   

Tuesday

Trova Tuesdays

Olimpo Auditorium

Time: 8 to 9 pm

For an evening of romantic music, you can’t do much better than the Trova Tuesday. Each week, a Trovador trio delights audiences with a set comprising classic Yucatecan and Mexican timeless songs. Trovadores are the Yucatecan alternative to Mariachis: they’re the ones to sing by your window at night, as a show of someone’s undying love. Limited seating.

Musical Memories

Parque de Santiago

Time: 8:30 to 9:30 pm

Wednesday​​

Video mapping: Diálogos del Conquistador

Casa Montejo

Time: 8 to 9 pm

Diálogos del Conquistador is a video mapping presentation that takes place at Casa Montejo, a bank and museum by day, and an art installation on Wednesday nights. A (subtitled) interaction between Francisco de Montejo and a Maya leader, it’s a moving piece of theatre that highlights that Mérida was first a Maya city, and that it owes so much to the Maya culture.    

Testigo Silencioso

Location: Puerta principal del Museo de Antropología e Historia, Palacio Cantón

Cancelled

The 40-minute event will be a multi-faceted performance showcasing the history and significance of the Palacio Cantón. It will combine mapping, music, and regional dance.

• Digital mapping: Visual projections onto the building's facade, telling the story of the Cantón family and the building itself.
• Classical music: Performances of famous opera arias from the early 20th century.
• Regional dance: Traditional Yucatecan jaranas to highlight the local culture.

The event will offer a unique blend of history, art, and culture, making it a must-see for anyone visiting Mérida.

Thursday

Serenata de Santa Lucía

Santa Lucía Park

Time: 9 to 10 pm

Without a doubt, this is the most popular night of the week. I have never seen Parque de Santa Lucía as busy as it is on a Thursday night. If you don’t have tickets, you can try grabbing a table at one of the many fabulous restaurants on the square. The evening is full of joy and music in the form of different bands, singers, and dancers. Different acts are presented each week, but with the same format: the orchestra and dancers, followed by a trio, poetry, and a solo performer. Limited seating, but can stand and watch.    

Friday

Video mapping:
Islas de Luz

Monumento a la Patria

Time: 8 to 10 pm

The Monumento a la Patria, an imposing circle on Paseo de Montejo, comes alive on Friday nights thanks to "Isla de Luz," a spectacular video mapping that projects images onto its detailed sculptures. This monument, a masterpiece by Colombian Rómulo Rozo, narrates the history of Mexico from pre-Hispanic times to the present. While enjoying the free show, accompanied by regional music, you can savor a marquesita and admire the intricate details of the monument's four faces, which celebrate national identity.

Video mapping:
Piedras Sagradas

Location: Catedral San Ildefonso

Time: 8 to 8:30 pm

Temporarily suspended.

Video mapping is something that México truly excels at. If you’re out and about in Centro on a Friday evening enjoying the pedestrianization of town, be sure to stop by for the beaming of a potted history of Mérida onto one of the oldest cathedrals in the Americas. Limited seating, but can stand and watch.    

Saturday

Noche Mexicana

Remate de Paseo de Montejo

Time: 8 to 11 pm