The Night When No One Sleeps, Huamantla

In the early morning hours of August 15, hundreds of folk artists work against the clock to cover the cobblestones of Huamantla with mats of dyed sawdust, fresh flowers, seeds, and colored sand. The result is one of Mexico’s most impressive visual spectacles: kilometers of ephemeral mosaics that the procession of the Virgin of Charity will undo at dawn.

Archaeologist Ivon Encinas joins us for three days to help us understand not only the Marian devotion that drives Huamantla, but also the cultural fabric of Tlaxcala: a state that was a key ally during the Conquest and that today maintains a unique indigenous and mestizo identity. We’ll visit museums, artisan workshops, and the historic sites surrounding this capital city that few Mexicans know well.

The package includes lodging, round-trip transportation from Mexico City, and Ivon’s expert guidance throughout the trip. Spending the night in Huamantla during the Night That No One Sleeps is, quite simply, an unforgettable experience.