Chichicastenango is a mountain town about 90 miles northeast of Guatemala City and a popular day trip from Lake Atitlan. The town is famous for its weekly market which attracts vendors selling everything from potatoes to ponchos and a huge array of crafts from around the region. Even more famous (and loud and colorful and crowded) is the town’s annual Festival of Santo Tomás.
The most famous festival in Chichi is the Fiesta de Santo Tomás, in honor of the town’s patron saint. The Fiesta occurs in mid-December every year, and lasts a full week. It is organized by a cofradía, or honorable fraternity of town elders. The parade of the cofradía through the town toward the church, accompanied by flute and drum music, marks the beginning and end of the festival.
