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Oaxaca City · Select dates only: October 31, 2026 · Up to 4 hours · Small group (min 10, max 18) · Low activity · Deep cultural intensity
A fixed-date Day of the Dead mask-making workshop that brings you into Oaxaca’s cartonería traditions with local artisans whose work helps shape the season’s parades, characters, and visual language.
During your mask-making experience in Oaxaca, you’ll experience:
🎭 Learn with local mask makers at the source
Spend the workshop with artisans at Taller de Monos de Calenda y Cartonería “Los Gigantes,” where mask-making is treated as living craft rather than a souvenir activity.
🎨 Paint and personalize your own mask
Choose from different pre-made papier-mache designs and bring one to life yourself with guidance on painting, decoration, and symbolism.
💀 Understand how masks connect to Muertos traditions
Learn how these masks relate to muerteadas, parade culture, and Oaxaca’s layered ways of representing memory, character, and the afterlife during the season.
🧳 Leave with something you made yourself
Take your finished mask with you as a personal keepsake, or prepare it for use later in the festivities once it has fully dried.
This is a fixed-date small-group workshop offered only during the Día de Muertos season. Spaces are intentionally limited, the dates are few, and once each workshop is full, no additional departures will be added.
Please note: This is a hands-on cultural workshop tied to a living local tradition. Respectful participation matters, and your mask may take additional time to dry fully after the session.
Early-bird tickets are $135 USD (only until April 20, 2026)
Regular tickets are $150 USD
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Meeting Point | Shared after confirmation, in Oaxaca City Centro |
| End Point | Same as Meeting Point, in Oaxaca City Centro |
| Duration | Approximately 5 to 6 hours |
| Physical Level | Low – This experience involves minimal walking and painting during the workshop |
| Cultural Rating | Deep – A strong mix of cultural interaction, history, and engaging with local artisans through a meaningful hands-on practice |
| Ages | 18+ (minors to be accompanied by adults or guardians) |
| Group Size | Public – Min 10, Max 18 |
We created this workshop for travelers who want to connect with Day of the Dead through making something with their own hands, not only through observation. In Oaxaca, masks are more than decorative objects. They are tied to folklore, movement, performance, memory, and the playful but meaningful relationship many local traditions have with death.
We also wanted to create an experience centered on local artistic knowledge. That is why this workshop takes place with artisans connected to Monos de Calenda Los Gigantes in Etla, where the creative process remains rooted in the people who actively keep these traditions alive.
Our goal is for you to leave with more than a painted souvenir. We want you to come away with a stronger appreciation for the symbolism of these masks, the artistry behind them, and the way Day of the Dead continues to inspire local creative expression in Oaxaca.
Many Day of the Dead activities focus on watching from the outside. This experience is different because it invites you into a hands-on process guided by the people who know the craft best. You are not making a mask from scratch, but you are painting and personalizing a pre-made papier-mâché mask with real local guidance.
The workshop also goes beyond paint and decoration. You learn why these masks matter, how they connect to Oaxaca’s festive and ceremonial traditions, and how they appear in muerteadas and other public expressions during the season.
That combination of local artistry, cultural context, and personal creation is what makes this workshop memorable. It is creative, yes, but it is also a way of approaching Day of the Dead through craftsmanship and story.
This is a one-day workshop taking place on October 31, 2026. After meeting in Oaxaca City Centro, we travel together to Monos de Calenda Los Gigantes in Etla, where the workshop takes place.
The experience begins with an introduction to the role masks play in local folklore and festive traditions. You will learn about the visual language of Day of the Dead masks, how they connect to Oaxaca’s public celebrations, and why these forms continue to hold meaning today.
From there, you choose from several pre-made papier-mâché mask designs and begin painting under the guidance of the artisans. This is the heart of the workshop. You are not constructing the base itself, but rather bringing it to life through your own color choices, patterns, and interpretation.
As you work, the artisans help explain techniques, motifs, and the broader world of cartonería. Whether you are artistically experienced or simply curious, the process is accessible and rewarding. The focus is not on perfection. It is on connection, process, and the meaning behind what you are creating.
Your painted mask may take about 24 to 48 hours to dry fully, depending on conditions. Once ready, you can keep it as a meaningful memento of your time in Oaxaca or, if your timing allows, potentially use it later in the season during a local celebration.
By the end of the workshop, the intention is not only that you leave with a finished mask, but that you feel you have engaged with one small but meaningful part of Oaxaca’s artistic and ancestral life during Day of the Dead.
This workshop is best suited for travelers who want a hands-on Day of the Dead experience and enjoy learning through making, painting, and conversation.
It is a strong fit for guests who value local craftsmanship, storytelling, and taking home something they created themselves, rather than only attending a viewing-style event.
It is less suited to travelers looking for a fast-paced nightlife experience. Patience, curiosity, and a willingness to focus on the creative process will help you get more from it.
Oaxaca during this time of year can bring warm days, cooler evenings, and occasional rain. Since this is a creative workshop, comfort matters just as much as presentation.
Please note: There is no formal dress code. Dressing respectfully is appreciated, but the most important thing is wearing something comfortable for painting and spending time in the workshop space.
Travel insurance (or a signed Liability Form)
Compulsory for all guests. We recommend SafetyWing Nomad Insurance.
This workshop takes place on a single day each year, on October 31, 2026.
Early-bird tickets are $135 USD until April 20, 2026. After that, regular tickets are $150 USD.
Because this event only happens once per year and Oaxaca fills quickly for Day of the Dead, we strongly recommend reserving your place and your accommodation as early as possible.
To make things easier, we’ve created an interactive map below to help you explore accommodation options in and around Oaxaca City during this sacred and celebrated time. The map is pre-set for the week of Day of the Dead, though you can adjust your travel dates and number of guests to suit your trip. It displays both hotels and short-term rentals so you can compare availability, location, and reviews at a glance. We’ve also pinned a central point that marks the meeting location for many of our group events. The closer you stay to this marker, the easier it will be to access our experiences and much of the activity in Centro Oaxaca.
Please note: accommodation fills up incredibly early for Day of the Dead. Hotels and home stays often begin selling out many months in advance, with prices rising sharply as the dates approach. Booking as far in advance as possible is highly recommended to avoid limited choices or higher rates. If accommodations near the pin are no longer available, staying a little farther out may still work well, especially if you prefer a quieter night’s rest.
Please double-check the currency displayed, as it may vary depending on your device settings or the website you’re viewing.
For every TRiP that you go on with WSE Travel, we will donate 2% of the total sales price to an environmental or community-based project in the country you’re visiting. We want to ensure that every guest we help, in turn, helps support and preserve the destination we’re experiencing together as a direct result. We live by an ethos to Travel Responsibly & Impact Positively (TRiP).
For more information on the projects supported by this experience, please visit our Mexico TRIP projects.
All tours, services, and experiences booked through WSE Travel are bound to our Terms and Conditions, which were modeled after most other travel services such as flights, hotels, and other tour operators.
At Where Sidewalks End, your reservation is more than a transaction. It’s a direct contract with local professionals who rely on this work as a primary source of income. As such, we are obligated to honor the livelihoods of our local partners, including guides, artisans, and drivers, who dedicate their time exclusively to your experience.
In many of the destinations where we operate, labor protections and fair wage commitments are upheld by local laws, and we are both ethically and contractually required to adhere to them. Once a booking is confirmed, the service providers committed to your experience are financially compensated for reserving their time, even in the event of cancellation. This ensures fair and dignified treatment for all involved in delivering your experience.
All bookings are subject to the following terms:
Your payment will be placed into a Lifetime Deposit (Safety Deposit Box). This can be:
Refunds are not available unless WSE Travel cancels your booking due to reasons beyond your control.
A 50% rebooking fee will apply. This helps offset the compensation obligations to your dedicated team of local guides and service providers, who have reserved their day exclusively for your private tour and may not be able to secure alternate work with us or others on short notice.
The full cost of the tour is retained to pay the locals contracted in full. As this is a fixed-date group experience, your local team’s time is fully dedicated to your session. A new team will be hired for any future rebooking.
These policies are a compassionate extension of our official Terms & Conditions, designed to support both our guests and the ethical standards of responsible tourism.
Because life can be unpredictable, and because we are required to uphold our commitments to local partners, all guests must either:
We highly recommend SafetyWing Nomad Insurance, trusted by global travelers for its flexible, affordable coverage and very competitive rates.
Travel insurance can help protect you from financial losses related to:
If you choose to travel without Travel Insurance, you will be required to fill out a Liability Waiver Form at the beginning of your trip.
We deeply appreciate your understanding and support of ethical tourism. Your booking directly sustains local communities and helps preserve cultural traditions in a meaningful and lasting way.
If you have any questions or need help rescheduling, please contact us – we’re always happy to assist.
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