Orizaba, Veracruz — On Sunday, September 28, 2025, the streets of Orizaba were transformed into a vibrant tapestry of color and tradition as artisans from Huamantla, Tlaxcala, installed their iconic sawdust mats in honor of San Miguel Arcángel, the city’s patron saint. The event also marked the 10th anniversary of Orizaba’s designation as a Pueblo Mágico, adding special significance to this year’s celebration.
Led by master artisan Efrén Chacón Godos, a team of 80 artists worked from the early morning hours to create nearly 700 meters of intricate designs along Avenida Colón, stretching from Sur 10 to Avenida Madero and passing through Parque Apolinar Castillo and the Cathedral of San Miguel Arcángel. The mats featured floral motifs, religious symbols, and a special design incorporating the official Pueblo Mágico logo.
Crafted from over 400 kilograms of dyed sawdust, natural sand, and glitter, the ephemeral artworks showcased a dazzling palette of colors including black, red, orange, yellow, purple, green, and blue. The creative process began months earlier, with six specialized artisans designing the templates used for the mats.
This marks the 15th year Huamantla’s artisans have brought their “arte efímero” to Orizaba, a tradition that has gained international recognition with exhibitions in Spain, Italy, Germany, and across the Americas. Locals and tourists alike flocked to admire the mats, which are installed annually on the Sunday closest to the feast of San Miguel Arcángel.
The sawdust mats not only honor religious and cultural heritage but also strengthen ties between communities, turning Orizaba’s historic center into a living gallery of Mexican artistry.
Source: OEM
