Xalostoc combines a colonial church history with celebrations that run from the early morning hours into the night. The Templo de San Damián y San Cosme dates back to the 18th century. The town also has Carnival traditions, mariachi music, and a festival honoring the two saints. You can plan your stay around a specific focus: historic buildings, local festive culture, or the municipality’s landscape.
Churches and Historic Buildings
During the colonial period, San Cosme Xaloztoc and San Pedro Tlacotepec were visiting churches belonging to the monastery of Huamantla. The INAH monument registry also lists the Templo San Pedro in San Cosme Xaloztoc. These details add two distinct perspectives to the history of the Templo de San Damián y San Cosme: its former place in a monastic visitation network and the registration of a specific monument.
The architectural history of Xaloztoc municipality also includes Hacienda de Tochac and Hacienda La Concepción. Both were built in the 18th and 19th centuries. Together with the 18th-century temple, they show that the municipality’s architectural heritage spans several different historical periods.
Festivals, Carnival, and Mariachi
The main festival honoring San Cosme and San Damián begins at 1 a.m. on September 26 with a procession through the main streets. The local program may change the dates. The festival tradition also includes a carpet made of sawdust and flowers, which is begun in the atrium between 5 and 6 a.m. This early start is an important difference for trip planning compared with Carnival events, which also take place in the afternoon.
The festival is known as the “Feria Regional del Mariachi.” It features performances by mariachi musicians from Xaloztoc and groups from Mexico and abroad; the lineup varies from year to year. Food is also a big part of the festival: vendors in the town center sell antojitos, sweets, fruit, and traditional festival bread. The individual stalls and their offerings may vary.
Carnival is celebrated from Sunday to Tuesday. In addition, every Sunday in each neighborhood of the municipality, a remate is held until Easter Sunday. These Carnival remates can bring together more than 1,000 Huehues dancers. During the festivities, four of the most prominent Carnival groups parade through town from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. These different time slots give the festival calendar a broad range: from a nighttime procession and early preparations to long daytime parades. If you want to plan your trip around a festival, check the dates for that year.
Crafts and the Municipal Landscape
The municipality is known primarily for carved walking sticks and Carnival masks. Xaloztoc is also known for pyrotechnics and floral work. Along with the sawdust-and-flower carpet for the saints’ festival, these traditions reflect different forms of local craftsmanship, from carved objects to floral creations.
The landscape is also part of the character of Xaloztoc municipality: much of it lies on the slopes of the La Malinche volcano, where there are oak forests. Alongside the churches and festival calendar, the highlands and forests are also regional highlights. When choosing a vacation rental, it may help to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: historic buildings, a festival with its distinctive schedule, or the municipality’s broader cultural and natural character.
Discover more destinations: Tlaxcala, Santa María Ixtulco, Ciudad De Nanacamilpa, Santa María Atlihuetzián, La Libertad, Terrenate, Totolac, Huamantla.
Return to the main travel overview: Tlaxcala.
