Discover Huejotzingo

When planning a stay in Huejotzingo, visitors can explore two distinct cultural highlights: the Museo Local de la Evangelización-Ex Convento de Huejotzingo and the carnival. The museum brings together monastic architecture, religious art, and the history of evangelization in central Mexico. The carnival offers a way to experience the city through a long-standing festival tradition, historical re-enactments, and dates that vary according to the calendar. Seasonal programs add mask-making workshops, local food, and crafts to these themes.

Monastery, Museum, and Art

The Museo Local de la Evangelización-Ex Convento de Huejotzingo is housed in a Franciscan monastery built between 1544 and 1570. The building is in the Plateresque and Mudéjar styles. The museum also houses one of the few 16th-century altarpieces still preserved in Mexico, created by Simón Pereyns. The monastery’s architecture and a significant work of art from the same period thus stand side by side as distinct features.

Beyond the building and its art, the museum explains the process of evangelization in central Mexico. It also provides an overview of the properties that once belonged to this Franciscan monastery. This section broadens the perspective from the building itself to the monastery’s earlier history and holdings.

The address is Plazuela de San Francisco s/n, C.P. 74160, Huejotzingo, Puebla, Mexico. If you are planning a visit, check the current visiting conditions in advance.

Carnival and Changing Dates

The Huejotzingo Carnival has been celebrated since 1868 and has been recognized as cultural heritage of the state of Puebla since 1997. It takes place four days before Ash Wednesday; the exact Gregorian date changes each year. The Domingos de Mascaritas, featuring dance and music, kick off the main carnival and take place on Sundays in January. This sequence clearly distinguishes the January kickoff from the main celebration.

At the 157th edition in 2025, more than 20,000 dancers performed in five traditional costumes: Zacapoaxtlas, Indios Serranos, Zapadores, Turcos, and Zuavos. The historical episodes depicted by the carnival include the abduction of the Corregidor’s daughter, the first Indigenous marriage performed according to Catholic rites, and the Battle of May 5. The festival thus combines its long tradition with three specifically named narratives. Check the dates for the relevant year before planning your trip.

Masks, Food, and Crafts

The 2026 Mascaritas program included parades and the participation of various carnival battalions in the Zócalo. At the kiosk, children’s workshops taught participants how to make puppets and decorate masks. The workshops offered a different focus from the parades: they were aimed at children and involved making figures and masks.

At the 2026 Feria de las Carnitas, vendors served cemitas, tacos de carnitas, crispy chicharrón, and tacos de sesos. Local craftspeople displayed their products at the Zócalo as part of the fair and sold them directly to the public. Alongside the specified foods, this edition also highlighted crafts presented to the public.

When choosing when to travel, the main thing to bear in mind is the difference between the Sundays in January and the main carnival. Since the exact Gregorian dates vary from year to year, check the dates for the relevant year before booking a hotel.

Discover more destinations: Ciénega Larga, Tepeojuma, San Pedro Cholula, Tilapa, San Matías Tlalancaleca, Tlapacoya, Santa María Coronango, San Juan Atzompa.

For the broader travel overview: Puebla.