No place in the Valley of Oaxaca celebrates Mardi Gras with the wild exuberance of the village of San Martin Tilcajete. Young people there dress in zany costumes and parade through the streets at mid-day to the accompaniment of brass bands and fireworks. Tilcajete is famous for the production of the fanciful carved wooden figures known as alebrijes. Many of the merry-makers are artisans who use their imaginations and skills to craft their costumes. Camera-toting tourists flock to the event to join in the fun. While most visitors arrive by tour bus, it is a relatively easy 2.5 hour bike ride from Oaxaca to Tilcajete. Cyclists leaving el centro at 8:30 am can easily get to Tilccajete in time to watch the grand parade which gets underway at 11:00 o’clock. The highjinks continue until about 12:30 and then resume with a community dance after dark. While it is possible to pedal to Tilcajete along Hwy 135, most cyclists prefer to use country roads to avoid traffic. The route shown covers a total of 78.8 kms (49.0 miles) out & back from Santo Domingo church, with an elevation gain and loss of 425 meters (1394 feet) along the way. Allow about seven hours for the excursion, which includes 1.5 hours to watch the celebration and enjoy some food and drink in the zocalo.
