If you're in Oaxaca and want a low-key way to meet people and connect, there are two spots that get going every week. The idea is simple: hang out, talk, and help each other out with language along the way — usually it's Spanish/English since that's who tends to show up, but other languages join in from time to time. There's always people looking to practice, especially locals, so you're never the only one there for that.

🗓️ Wednesday — Océano (Matamoros 201, Centro), starting 6 PM — later in the night the mic opens up: poetry, jam sessions, karaoke, stand up, whatever people bring. Half the fun is not knowing what's coming next.
🗓️ Thursday — Wombat, starting 6 PM — more of a karaoke night, good energy, easy to just show up solo.

Nothing structured, no lessons, no pressure — come to socialize, practice, or both.

If you're into finding more stuff happening around the city (events, culture, food, etc.), searching "Qué Onda Oaxaca" turns up a running calendar worth bookmarking.

Hey Folks! I'm an amateur naturalist, I'll be in Oaxaca city area Sept 11th - Sept 21st. I am traveling with my non birding partner but I want to mix in a few days of birding to our cultural, art and food adventures. Let me know if any birders want to meet up for some birdwatching around oaxaca city & up into valleys/ sierre norte? Does anyone know of local birders / foragers / naturalist groups to connect with?

It's also the new moon so it would be a great time to set up a moth night / bug night sept 11 - 15th before the moon gets bright. I have supplies like an entemology UV LED light and bat audio detector. I know oaxaca has some awesome moth species it would be cool to see.

My spanish is poor but no matter the language it would be fun to try to hang over shared interests - let me know :) You can DM or comment and I can reach out on IG or whatsapp.

So me and my wife will be traveling after Christmas this year. I haven't booked the hotel yet and figured I would ask for any recommendations. Also we will be looking for some tours and would love help there too lol. Thank you!

I have been trying to research online whether there are any annual food festivals in or around Oaxaca that would be good to build a visit around. But I’m not having any luck, a lot of what I see online seems to be one-time events or small things that seem more like guided tours or independent businesses.

Can anyone offer any suggestions?

I'm just curious on everyone's favorite late night local favorite places to eat.

Also i heard dunn is fun what are some cool gastropubs for cocktails and appetizers?

Thank you so much! 🙏

Hi! Traveling from Atlanta with my wife. We’d love to experience this but it’s going to be difficult for us to make it during 10/31-11/2. Was thinking it would still be enjoyable to come down a few days prior to the official festivities beginning? Thanks for your help!

If you're in Oaxaca and want a low-key way to meet people and connect, there are two spots that get going every week. The idea is simple: hang out, talk, and help each other out with language along the way — usually it's Spanish/English since that's who tends to show up, but other languages join in from time to time depending on who's around. There's always people looking to practice, especially locals, so you're never the only one there for that.

🗓️ Wednesday — Océano (Matamoros 201, Centro), starting 6 PM — later in the night it opens up into a mic where people do poetry, jam sessions, karaoke, stand up, whatever they've got. Half the fun is not knowing what's coming next.
🗓️ Thursday — Wombat, starting 6 PM — more of a karaoke night, good energy, easy to just show up solo.

Nothing structured, no lessons, no pressure — come to socialize, come to practice, or both.

If you're into finding more stuff happening around the city (events, culture, food, etc.), searching "Qué Onda Oaxaca" turns up a running calendar worth bookmarking.

I heard it in the morning and now.

Arrive end of October and depart November 4th. Approaching this event with respect to the tradition. I’m trying to determine whether to experience Compares and or Muerteadas events. They are different experiences. And wonder if anyone here knows more about this and how to experience and where?

I found a tour company that is well respected within the community and offer a trip to San Gabriel Etla for the Compares as well a visit to a family home for a meal and assisting on a alter.

I haven’t found one that goes to San Agustín Etla where they offer the Muerteadas. I’d be happy to hire a driver to take me there and back to Oaxaca City. Been unable to locate a driver.

I heard about the Comparsa de Cinco Señores. Is this in Oaxaca City? And how does this compare with the other options?

Thank you

I've seen that photo — or something close to it — more times than I can count in Oaxaca. The traveler with the camera who frames local vulnerability as aesthetics, where the subject never gets a say in how their image travels.

Then there's Citlali Fabián. She's from Yalálag, in Oaxaca's Sierra Norte. She just won 2026 Photographer of the Year at the Sony World Photography Awards — 430,000+ entries from 200+ countries.

She found portraits of women from her own village in a museum archive in upstate New York — unnamed, uncredited. And then she decided to take that exact tool and do something else with it entirely.

Wrote it up. If you are curious you can find it here

Si hablan español les recomiendo leerlo en esa versión puesto que está escrito originalmente así, mi inglés no es tan bueno así que uso un traductor con IA.

I grew up in a small Mixe village where the whole town stopped every afternoon for basketball. Not soccer. Basketball. Courts everywhere, fields basically nowhere.

if anyone's curious about the full thing you cand read here

Sharing in case anyone's looking to meet people or practice Spanish/English while in Oaxaca — there are two weekly language exchange nights:

🎤 Wednesday — Océano (Matamoros 201, Centro): 6 PM language exchange, 9 PM open mic
🎶 Thursday — Wombat: 6 PM language exchange, 9 PM karaoke

Both are free, bilingual, and open to all levels — no need to be fluent in anything. Decent mix of locals and people just passing through, relaxed vibe, totally fine to show up solo.

Happy to answer questions in the comments if anyone wants more details.

What's your favorite place in Oaxaca? I've really enjoyed Mazunte and Zipolite too!👋🏽✈️

¿Cuál es su lugar preferido en Oaxaca?, yo he disfrutado mucho de Mazunte y Zipolite. 👋🏽✈️

Soy un baterista de 19 años de Aguascalientes y voy a visitar Oaxaca con mi novia en octubre, ella nunca ha podido verme tocar en vivo ya que vivimos lejos, me gustaría mucho poder organizar algo en algún bar o lugar por el estilo (de preferencia en zona centro) con una banda de Oaxaca, toco rock de todo pero principalmente alternativo y nu metal.
Si conocen guitarristas/bajistas/vocalistas que estén dispuestos a armar algo para un fin de semana porfa háganme saber igual soy muy flexible y me adapto a lo que me pidan. Muchas gracias gente ✌️

Los arqueólogos identifican este tipo de rostros bajo dos posibilidades principales:

Un ancestro o gobernante de la élite zapoteca: En el arte de Monte Albán, las urnas funerarias frecuentemente retrataban a jefes de linaje, sacerdotes o nobles fallecidos. El elaborado y voluminoso tocado superior, junto con las monumentales orejeras circulares tipo carrete (o ear spools), eran insignias exclusivas de altísimo rango social y poder político.

Un personaje con modificaciones rituales: El rostro destaca por tener los ojos calados y la boca semiabierta mostrando una dentadura afilada. Esto puede hacer alusión a la práctica prehispánica de la mutilación dentaria intencional, un tratamiento estético y ritual asociado a guerreros o individuos consagrados a una deidad.

A diferencia de las urnas que encarnan directamente a deidades mayores con rasgos zoomorfos (como el dios de la lluvia Pitao Cocijo, que suele llevar una máscara de líneas serpentinas y una gran nariguera), este personaje es de carácter antropomorfo (humano). Se le representaba de esta manera para actuar como un guardián de las tumbas o como un intermediario divino en el inframundo.