Night of Radishes

Every December 23, crowds gather in Oaxaca, Mexico’s main square to celebrate the Night of the Radishes, or La Noche de Rábanos. It is a competition between artists who use the purple produce to make sculptures and, hopefully, win the big prize of the night.

The competition’s origins date back to when holiday market vendors tried to make their vegetables more enticing by making sculptures with them. It was such a hit that the governor, Francisco Vasconcelos, decided to create an official contest in 1897. It has been a tradition in Oaxaca ever since.


Incidentally, Oaxaca is pronounced Wah haw kah.