Mérida, Yucatán — A giant, wide-ranging festival celebrating Maya culture is about to begin.
The fifth edition of the The International Festival of Mayan Culture, also called FIC Maya, runs 11 days beginning Thursday, Oct. 13. Over 1,200 participants will lead 300 events to be found in venues around the state.
The activities, ranging from lectures to art to music and dance, celebrate Maya culture while recognizing its importance. They also position Yucatán as a cultural reference point for international tourism.
The festival is a combined effort by the state and the National Council for Culture and the Arts. The festival was first held in 2012 to coincide with the new era in the Maya calendar.
Programs run along several tracks, and can be found here.
With the slogan “From language to the imagination,” this artistic and cultural meeting will be attended by artists, archaeologists and academics from 14 countries, said Roger Metri, state secretary of Culture and Arts.
Italian soprano Filippa Giordano will open the festival at the Plaza Grande accompanied by the Yucatán Symphony Orchestra. She said she will share the stage with Maya-Mexican singer Armando Manzanero as well as Italian operatic tenors Alessandro Safina and Marcello Giordano.
The Dominican Republic and Cuba are this year’s guest of honor, as well as the state of Tabasco. Special performances will include the Dominican National Folkloric Ballet and the marimba of Tabasco.
Tickets
Prices range from 25 to 150 pesos. There will also be free events in various city parks, hotels, cultural centers and galleries.
Tickets can be purchased here:
- Peon Contreras Theatre (Calle 60 between 57 and 59, Centro)
- Armando Manzanero Theatre (Calle 62 between 69 and 61, Centro)
- Fantasio Theatre (Calle 60 between 59 and 61, Centro)
- Daniel Ayala Theatre (Calle 60 between Calle 59 and 61, Centro)
- Gran Mundo Maya Museum (Calle 60 Norte No. 299 E, Unidad Revolución)
Online
Updated information can be found on the FIC Maya Facebook page. Full program at the FIC Maya website.
