Lelé dolls, handicrafts, and huapango music fill the Los Pinos Cultural Complex, which, for the fourth time, welcomes artisans, traditional cooks, and the public to the “Querétaro at Los Pinos” festival on April 18 and 19, 2026—a celebration of the state’s culture, music, and traditional cuisine.
The event is organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico and the Government of Querétaro, through the State Ministry of Culture and its House of Handicrafts, as part of the “States at Los Pinos” initiative, a strategy of the Cultural Complex to showcase the richness and diversity of Mexico in the nation’s capital.
During the opening ceremony, Valeria Palomino, Director General of Cultural Promotion and Festivals, representing Claudia Curiel de Icaza, Secretary of Culture of the Government of Mexico, emphasized that the festival is a collaborative effort between the government and the community: “It is made possible thanks to the collaboration between institutions, creators, master artisans, cooks, producers, and communities that sustain cultural life beyond their borders.”
For her part, Elisa Lemus Cano, Director of the Los Pinos Cultural Complex, highlighted that celebrating Querétaro is celebrating Mexico: “I invite you to meet the exhibitors and discover their creations: artisanal chocolate, pulque bread, traditional medicine, and coffee. In each project, you will find a specific detail that reflects the different regions of the state, because today we celebrate Querétaro and also Mexico in all its diversity.”
Meanwhile, the Secretary of Culture of Querétaro, Ana Paola López Vivera, highlighted the diversity and richness of the region: “We live in a region where you can find a diversity of ecosystems, flora and fauna, traditions, heritage, and stories, which we are now responsible for conserving, caring for, promoting, and sharing.”
The artisan Perla del Carmen González Figueroa, originally from the community of El Romeral in Corregidora, is participating for the third time with papier-mâché and masks: “I am very happy to be able to present my work. I invite you to come and see the different products we bring from Querétaro, because we are a state with a rich cultural heritage and a diversity of products and crafts.”
The public is also enjoying the cultural and culinary gala that has arrived from Querétaro. Alexandra Aldana de la Cruz commented: “I am really enjoying it. The workshops and food on offer are very varied. Many artisans have also come, giving us the opportunity to learn a little about the state and their places of origin.”
Among other performing arts activities, the following will be presented: American Dream: A History of Migration and Hope, by the Bravo por el Arte Collective, who, through narratives and testimonies, address migration in Presa de Bravo and the challenges women face in this context.
The dance and music performance by the Folkloric Company of the Autonomous University of Querétaro, Estampa Queretana, offers a journey through the state’s traditions, showcasing festivals, dances, and offerings.
Meanwhile, in the Luis Nishizawa Hall of the Casa Miguel Alemán, the documentary Caminares que germinan en la jícara sagrada (Walks that Germinate in the Sacred Gourd) will be screened, focusing on the participation of indigenous women through the Otomi poet Oliva Reséndiz González and her work in education and literature.
Jacarandas Plaza brings together utilitarian art by master artisans, including lele dolls, clay, embroidered and stitched textiles, traditional dolls, palm weaving, backstrap loom weaving, sarapes, and other crafts.
And at Cencalli’s Smoke Kitchens, you’ll find a showcase of culinary culture with dishes like rabbit in peanut sauce, dried apricots in guajillo sauce, xoconostle (prickly pear) in chileatole (a corn-based drink), nopales de santo (prickly pear cactus pads), xoconostle mole, turkey, pipián (a type of mole), barbacoa (barbecued meat), and gorditas made with cracked corn.
Among other groups performing are the trios Corazón de la Sierra and Las Flores de la Huasteca, as well as the Tolimán de Noja community choir, made up of children and young people.
The educational offerings include workshops on making papier-mâché masks, crafting lelé dolls, and weaving palm-leaf name tags.
“Querétaro at Los Pinos” is establishing itself as an event that celebrates traditions and strengthens the bond between communities, artists, and visitors through immersive experiences that invite everyone to discover, enjoy, and appreciate Mexico’s cultural heritage.
Source: oem
