"La Plasa Petatera: Tradition, Culture and Encounter in the Heart of the Community".

Is it really any wonder that the largest handicraft in the world is located in Mexico? And we are talking about a magnificent work registered as a World Heritage Site, which is protected by none other than UNESCO. Find here all the information you need about La Petatera, a unique bullring in the world.

History of the Petatera

This type of building comes from the Tapextle that was made centuries ago in the salt mines of Cuyutlán, 45 km from Villa de Álvarez. For the collection of salt, the Indians, made a construction without any iron, of knots and moorings, with wood, being this the architectural origin of the Petatera. Now it is stipulated by a construction method regulation.

This piece will be 167 years old in 2024 and has space for more than 5,000 seats and every year the 70 boards that make up the Petatera are joined together to raise it. The Petatera is the only bullring in the world made of petate, dismountable, with wood, bamboo, ixtle, maguey and other natural components.

Each boarding house must provide 7 forks, 9 cans, 56 brackets, 7 stirrups, 7 boards, 2 platforms and 16 poles, all made of wood of different species, as well as 36 mats, rope, ixtle, otate or bamboo, nails and nails.

The covering of the structure is composed of an upholstery of petates, a kind of carpet woven from the fibers of the "petate palm", which give the building its name. At the end of the bullfighting festivities, and of other disciplines such as dance, each part of the plaza is broken down again and given to 67 families of Villa de Álvarez, who keep them until the next local festivities.

The board of trustees is made up of people from civil society who take care of the tradition and there is a regulation on how it will be built, when and who will build it. To be a family of tabladeros, exemplary civic behavior is required, as well as responsibility for what has been entrusted to them.

Creating this phenomenon of social cohesion and environmental sustainability is a construction of ephemeral art recognized as Mexican Cultural Heritage and protected by UNESCO. There are people who have inherited being a boarder since the plaza was built with two floors.

Previously the maguey fiber was replaced by plastic, also plastic by jute for the ropes, moorings, cans by iron pipes, but for 30 years they returned to the original: bamboo and ixtle of maguey.

When the Petatera is ready at the beginning of February, horseback rides are another attraction of these festivities, two bullfights in a bullring with no alley, only with burladeros, larger than the one in Plaza Mexico, the largest in the world.

Local authorities and families participate in the custody and construction of the site. Desiderio Contreras Tene "El Pajarito" was the steward of the construction, responsible each year for coordinating the communal effort to erect this building, originated as a tribute to San Felipe de Jesus.

El Pajarito built the site since the 1960s, directed the work since 1993 as mayordomo, but passed away in May 2020. It is said that every year, El Pajarito would stick his cane in an oil stain that he left as a marker each year. He would trace the circle on which the plaza will be built and bows are made to the four cardinal points.

How many people can fit in La Petatera, the world's largest handicraft?

Can you imagine visiting a huge bullring made of petate? Well, now is your chance. This bullring has more than 5 thousand seats. And a curious fact is that during the event, the owners of each box charge the spectators who sit there throughout the fair. With the proceeds, they recover expenses and pay the fee required by the fair committee. And, if all goes well, the rest is profit.

This is a list of the events that usually take place inside La Petatera:

The show begins with the raising of this exceptional handicraft, which is rebuilt year after year from materials such as wood, petate and ixtle. All this assembled with regional processes. It is undoubtedly a process full of devotion and effort that achieves a wonder year after year.

The festivities begin with a great parade of horses.

It is particularly distinguished for its charrotaurino activities.

In addition, this great festival has also added other activities such as horseback riding, jaripeos, among other artistic and cultural events.

All this without mentioning the artistic cast that is invited to give concerts year after year.

Every year, it is advisable to consult the billboard in the official sites that announce the fair. The shows vary so much that there is even a record of the participation of the Ballet Folklorico de Colima!

how to get to the petatera?

To get to La Petatera, we suggest the following: Starting from Benito Juárez Avenue, in Villa de Álvarez, continue towards Merced Cabrera Avenue until you reach the exit to Minatitlán. After a couple of kilometers by car, you will see the structure La Petatera on the right hand side. Not to be missed!

Get your camera ready! At La Petatera, it gives the impression that time is turned backwards, recreating the feeling of living in Colima of centuries past. You won't want to miss the opportunity to photograph this scenery!

Fortunately, the best months to visit Colima are January, February, March, April, May, November and December. In these months, there is a warm temperature and little rainfall. The highest average temperature in Colima is 31°C in July and the lowest is 25°C in January. With this information we know that the climate will be favorable. Even with this information, we recommend consulting a reliable source for the weather forecast.

Taking into account that you will be in an open space, we recommend you to use sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat to protect yourself from the sun.

Festejos Charrotaurinos Villa de Álvarez 2024 artistic line-up