By Marian Garcés Torres

We met for the 11th time.

Thanks to the love put into action by our sponsors, exhibitors, invited artists, team and public, we arrived at our 11th edition full of new experiences to share.

The Pilgrimage It is a cruelty-free and exploitation-free project that also seeks to be a safe space for women, sexual dissidents and neuroscientists.

Before the festival I would like to tell you that The Pilgrimage last time something happened... the universe settled down and our feelings aligned. Or I don't know, but everything exploded after the last edition:

1. An ongoing alliance was forged with our beloved sponsor TheRazza and now we are starting @lx.lejona a continuous teaching/learning space 

There we offer workshops, talks and spaces for reflection around different approaches to the arts, cultures and lives that we consider urgent.

2. We decided to open a safe space with a pollinator garden and an open kitchen that is active on weekends. Casa Fénix, from there we are creating potions with herbs and house plants; preparing the menu to open the kitchen in October; preparing the first seedlings that we will bring for sale at the next Romería. 

3. We continue with the festival at Lavanda Aldea Holistica every change of season 

Now yes. About our 11th installment…

Mermaid Alchemist is coming to Querétaro for the first time to make us dance, on Saturday, October 5th starting at 4 pm. We are also excited to welcome Xilaan Pitzotl for the first time, who will open the main stage on both days with his rich selection of reggae.

Friends who have already accompanied us before are coming to serenade us as well: Lucy and her live son jarocho, DJ LKS, Dee Dub, Antonio with his live roots and Gunisanto from CDMX. All for a unique experience of rich, diverse and danceable music for the whole family.

As for exhibitors, it will be a very special and unrepeatable edition.

From Querétaro we are joined by a new black garlic project, a family business with different products linked to black garlic.

Brenda Jaramillo joins us from Guanajuato with her current projects: beautiful tattoos, all unique pieces; prints of her work and her powerful upcycling project that seems to us to be the most proactive in Bajío.

Doña Raquel returns from La Cuadrilla with her beautiful ancestral ceremonial tortilla and her delicious vegetarian and vegan stews. This time she promises tamales, veggie like everything else.

Orgullo Loco México is one of the most important organizations in Mexico today. Two of its members join us to talk about their project and also to give a talk/workshop on Sunday, October 6th.

There will also be a temazcal, this time run by Jimena. As always, at the most affordable price possible.

The Romería is a meeting point for gender, sexual, but also generational and cultural diversities, and in every aspect of our existence, we try to do our part to co-create a safe space for everyone.

The list of exhibitors and experiences is long. So I'll close so as not to overwhelm you and to try to invite you who are reading this to be part of a unique and different experience, if that is what you are looking for.

While I was writing this text, a new dynamic for this Fall edition emerged, which is to generate resources for the artist/performer La Bala Rodriguez, who is going through delicate health issues and requires support from the community. We are receiving donations of art, design or handmade products - free of cruelty and exploitation - to sell at La Romería Festi Fall. We are also auctioning off a swing class and other fun things. In other words, there are many ways to support La Bala. You can also make a direct transfer.

The Pilgrimage will then be an explosion of rich encounters, new learning and opportunities for community building.

Thanks to Local, our longest-standing and beloved sponsor 

The poster for this edition is by Meli Marcow from Jujuy, Argentina.