Festival de los Moles

View on map
Food & DrinkOaxaca City
DatesDates TBA · Usually JulyCheck locally before booking
DurationAnnualEstimate from available data
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forRegional food & drinkOaxaca is known as the land of the seven
Language["es"]Currency: MXN
CategoryFood & DrinkFestival type
The story

Festival de los Moles in Oaxaca City

Festival de los Moles is a two-day culinary showcase held each July at Oaxaca City's Centro Gastronomico, part of the broader Guelaguetza season. Roughly two dozen participating restaurants serve the region's many mole varieties, including negro, verde, amarillo, and almendrado, letting visitors sample dishes from Oaxaca's eight regions side by side over afternoon hours.

Oaxaca is often called Mexico's land of the seven moles, though the count undersells how many distinct sauces the state's cooks actually make: mole negro, dark and slightly bitter with charred chiles and chocolate; mole coloradito, milder and reddish; mole verde, built on fresh herbs and green chiles; amarillo, made yellow with a different chile blend; and mole de caderas, a goat-based specialty tied to the Mixteca's herding communities, among others.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

Oaxaca is known as the land of the seven moles, though local cooks count considerably more regional variations, and this festival is one of the only events where visitors can taste a wide cross-section of them in a single afternoon rather than seeking out individual restaurants across the state

02

The mystery stays covered

Organized by the state tourism secretariat as an official companion event to the Guelaguetza, the festival brings roughly two dozen kitchens together to prepare their own versions of moles such as negro, coloradito, verde, and mole de caderas, each rooted in different indigenous culinary traditions from the Central Valleys to the Mixteca

03

The city starts moving

The event has run for two decades, reflecting how central mole is to Oaxacan identity beyond the dance performances that dominate Guelaguetza coverage

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

Mole is one of Oaxaca's most emblematic dishes

Water and renewal

Living ritual

blending pre-Hispanic ingredients such as chiles

The sacred route

Living ritual

and ground seeds with techniques refined in colonial-era convent kitchens

The local code

Living ritual

Each of the state's eight regions developed its own mole

Tradition 5

Living ritual

from the chocolate-dark mole negro of the Central Valleys to the herb-forward mole verde and the meat-based mole de caderas associated with goat-herding communities in the Mixteca

Tradition 6

Living ritual

The festival gives these largely home- and restaurant-kitchen traditions a shared public stage during the same season as the Guelaguetza dance festival

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually July

Getting around

For Festival de los Moles, plan transport around the exact Oaxaca City venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.

What to wear

Light, breathable clothing suits the warm July afternoons at Oaxaca's highland elevation, with a layer for cooler evenings. Comfortable shoes matter since the event involves standing and...

Safety

Use normal food-market caution, hydrate, and leave time between crowded stalls.

Where to stay

For Festival de los Moles, stay near the part of Oaxaca City you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Tickets/cost

Entry may be free while tastings, meals, or special tables are paid locally.

Language/currency

["es"] · MXN

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map17.06 N, 96.73 WOpen in Google Maps

Oaxaca City, Oaxaca, Mexico

Nearest airportOAX — Xoxocotlán
TransportFor Festival de los Moles, plan transport around the exact Oaxaca City venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.
Stay areaFor Festival de los Moles, stay near the part of Oaxaca City you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Oaxaca City via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Oaxaca City, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for July.Compare faresFestival gearLight, breathable clothing suits the warm July afternoons at Oaxaca's highland elevation, with a layer for cooler evenings. Comfortable shoes matter since the event involves standing and moving between food stalls, and a change of shirt is wise since mole sauces stain easily.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Mexico and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

We may earn a small commission from trusted travel partners at no extra cost to you.

FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Festival de los Moles?

Festival de los Moles is listed for July. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Festival de los Moles take place?

The festival is listed in Oaxaca City, Mexico. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

Annual is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Needs editorial review. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Oaxaca City, Oaxaca, Mexico

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLAwaiting confirmation
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually July
Source statusNeeds editorial review
Related festivals

Continue the route.

Photo pending

Qingdao International Beer Festival

17 July–16 August 2026

Qingdao, China
Photo pending

National Cherry Festival

July · Summer

Traverse City, United States
Photo pending

National Cherry Festival

4–6 December 2026

Young, Australia
Photo pending

Oktoberfest

19 September–4 October 2026

Munich, Germany

Spotted something out of date? Submit a correction →