History and Craft at the Original Artisan Fair in Mérida, Mexico - October 12-17, 2026

Join Heritage by Hand from October 12–17, 2026 in Mérida, Yucatán for five days devoted to the history, craft, and culinary brilliance of one of Mexico’s most beautiful and culturally layered cities. This trip has an intentional intellectual spine: the story of henequen — the agave fiber that made Mérida one of the wealthiest cities in the Americas at the turn of the 20th century, and one of the most brutal. The henequen boom was built on a system of debt peonage that enslaved Maya workers on vast haciendas, with direct parallels to plantation slavery in the American South. We will encounter this history at multiple points throughout the week — in the colonial architecture of the city, in the ruins of a working hacienda, and in the studios of contemporary designers who are reclaiming and reimagining the fiber on their own terms. It is a story about beauty, exploitation, resilience, and reinvention — and it makes Mérida one of the most thought-provoking places to travel in Mexico.

We will also swim in a cenote, share a meal cooked over a wood fire by one of Mexico’s most celebrated chefs, and attend the opening days of the Original Artisan Fair — Mexico’s premier showcase for master artisans from across the country.

This extension is the perfect complement to the Mexico City Design Week trip, October 7–12, 2026 — continue straight from Mexico City to Mérida for a seamless journey. It can also be taken as a standalone experience.

About the Original Artisan Fair

Original is Mexico’s most important showcase for master artisans — a curated fair that brings together hundreds of artisans from across the country whose work represents the highest level of craft tradition and innovation. The Mérida edition celebrates the region’s extraordinary textile, ceramic, and fiber traditions alongside artisans from every corner of Mexico.

About Rosalía Chay Chuc

Rosalía Chay Chuc is a Mexican barbecue chef best known for her authentic Mayan dishes that date back to 400 AD. Netflix’s Chef’s Table: BBQ devoted an episode to her cooking — one of the most watched in the series. Rather than a restaurant, Chay Chuc serves her Mayan cooking for ten to twelve people at a time from her home in Yaxuná, Yucatán, where the food is prepared over a wood fire in her backyard using techniques passed down through generations. It is one of the most extraordinary and intimate culinary experiences available anywhere in Mexico.

Itinerary

Monday, October 12 — Fly from Mexico City & Arrive Mérida
For those continuing on from Design Week in Mexico City, we fly together from Mexico City on a morning flight — flight details will be shared with all participants so the group can coordinate. Upon arrival in Mérida, we check in and spend the afternoon on an informal walking tour of the historic center, exploring the city’s magnificent colonial architecture, main plaza, and surrounding streets at a relaxed pace. The evening begins with a welcome dinner at one of Mérida’s finest restaurants.

Tuesday, October 13 — Henequen History, Walking Tour & Fiber Artists
A historian and local guide joins us for breakfast to introduce the story of henequen — the fiber that built and broke this city — before we set out for a guided walking tour of the historic center. We will read the city’s architecture through the lens of the henequen boom: the grand mansions on Paseo de Montejo built by hacienda owners, the churches and civic buildings constructed on Maya labor, and the neighborhoods where workers lived. In the afternoon we visit the city’s main cultural museum before spending extended time with one of the region’s most important contemporary designers working with henequen — Ángela Damman. Her work represents the other side of the henequen story: local designers reclaiming the fiber, its techniques, and its cultural meaning on their own terms. Dinner at one of the city’smost unique restaurants in the evening.

Wednesday, October 14 — Hacienda Yaxcopoil, Uxmal, Cenote & Dinner at Home with the Weavers
A historian and local guide joins us for breakfast before we depart south on Highway 261. Our first stop is Santa Rosa, a community of hennequen weavers who work with the nonprofit, Taller Maya. After our site visit, we will stop by Hacienda Yaxcopoil — one of the best-preserved henequen haciendas in the Yucatán, with its original rasping machinery, vast processing halls, and the haunting physical evidence of the system that made its owners wealthy and its workers captive. Seeing the hacienda after yesterday’s walking tour brings the history into full relief. We continue south to Uxmal — one of the most beautifully preserved and architecturally refined archaeological sites in the Maya world, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site — before stopping at a nearby cenote for a swim in the cool, crystalline waters that have sustained the Yucatán for millennia. We return to Mérida in the late afternoon, where a master hammock maker joins us at the house to demonstrate the traditional craft of Yucatecan hammock weaving. The evening closes with dinner at home — the weavers join us, and the conversation continues around the table.

Thursday, October 15 — Rosalía Chay Chuc & Opening of Original
We drive to Yaxuná to spend the afternoon with Rosalía Chay Chuc — one of Mexico’s most celebrated culinary figures — for a meal prepared in her backyard using ancient Mayan techniques. Cochinita pibil, slow-cooked in a pit over wood fire, is the centerpiece of a meal that connects directly to pre-Columbian cooking traditions dating back over 1,500 years. It is an intimate, unforgettable experience limited to a small group. We return to Mérida in time for the opening evening of the Original Artisan Fair — a festive and celebratory night that marks the beginning of the fair’s program.

Friday, October 16 — Original Artisan Fair & Farewell Dinner
We spend the morning at the Original Artisan Fair — approximately 2.5 hours exploring the booths, meeting artisans, and making final purchases. The afternoon is free for rest, independent exploration, or last-minute shopping in the city. We close the trip with a farewell dinner at one of Mérida’s finest restaurants.

Saturday, October 17 — Departure
Departures. For those wishing to extend their stay, we are happy to provide recommendations for additional cenotes, day trips, or nearby towns worth visiting.

General Information

What the program fee covers: All ground transportation in Mérida and to excursion sites, entrance fees to museums, Hacienda Yaxcopoil, and the archaeological site at Uxmal, the Original Artisan Fair, speaking fees for artisan visits, the hammock maker demonstration, and one restaurant reservation deposit.

What participants cover independently: Flights to and from Mérida (we will share group flight details from Mexico City), lodging (hotel recommendations will be provided so the group stays together), all meals except the Wednesday dinner at home, and airport transfers. You will arrive on Monday, October 12th, and the itinerary begins that afternoon.

Mérida is a tropical city — October is warm and occasionally rainy. A packing list with recommendations will be shared before the trip.

Pricing

$1,250 per person
Deposit: $650 due by June 30, 2026
Final payment: $600 due by August 30, 2026
Maximum 11 guests. Trips typically host 6–8 participants.

Cancellation Policy

• Cancel before August 30, 2026: full refund
• Cancel after August 30, 2026: no refund

We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your investment in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

Health and Activity Levels

There will be a moderate amount of daily walking (10,000+ steps). Mérida is a tropical city at low altitude, but October temperatures can be warm and humid — we plan activities with this in mind and build rest time into each day. The Uxmal excursion involves uneven terrain at the archaeological site. Please keep your physical abilities in mind when booking.