By Amy G. Rothlin The energy was unmistakable. Walking into Parque Benito Juárez on Sunday during the 5th edition of San Miguel y sus Sabores, it was immediately clear why this festival has become one of the city's most anticipated culinary events. Over three days (June 12–14), more than 35 restaurants, local producers, traditional cooks, and artisans transformed the park into a vibrant celebration of what makes San Miguel's food scene so special. Organized by the Municipal G

By Catherine Marenghi Indigenous peoples of Mexico have treasured mushrooms for millennia, integrating them into spiritual life, healing practices, and daily sustenance. Their traditions are preserved in códices, ancient iconography, and later colonial-era accounts. Carved “mushroom stones” found in Maya regions date as early as 1,000 BCE. Some include supernatural figures on the stems, suggesting ritual significance. Early Spanish chroniclers also documented ritual mushroom

By Jonathan Lockwood I've interviewed a lot of mezcal folks for these articles by now: producers, bar owners, bartenders, restaurateurs. But I'm not sure I've ever sat across from anyone as thoroughly credentialed in anything as Alex Galina, 43, founder of the Cultural Institute of Agave & Wine, or ICAVI. You’ve certainly walked by it at Recreo 10A, near the jardín. Alex didn't start out with an agave focus. He studied Marketing and Mass Communications, and his first real job

By Frank "Sugar" Hudson In July, San Miguel comes alive with a rhythmic charm where the biggest headliner is actually the weather. Days are beautifully warm, drawing everyone outdoors. Then, like clockwork in the afternoon or evening, dramatic summer showers sweep in to cool the air before vanishing just as quickly as they arrived. While July is technically the wettest month of the year—with about 22 days of rain totaling around four inches—the downpours are brief. They leave

By Natalie Taylor The first thing that comes across when you meet Bill Wilkinson is his enthusiasm for what he is doing—bringing education to children who may not have that opportunity. He has been doing this for more than twelve years, and there is little indication he will stop anytime soon. Bill is one of those seniors who, when they retire, get as busy as or busier than they were during their working careers. Bill was born in Oregon, moved to California, but for the past

By Camie Fenton Welcome to the July 2026 edition of Atención News, your ultimate insider’s perspective on the stories, people, and events that shape our extraordinary community. As the dramatic summer showers arrive to cool our warm afternoons and transform the surrounding high-desert countryside into a lush, vibrant green, the town comes alive with an unmistakable rhythmic charm. We invite you to step away from the digital rush, slow down, and immerse yourself in the rich na

By Liam Stidham Every great musician usually started with an influence, like watching a music video on TV, or watching a live concert on YouTube. In my case, when I was 8, I was with my parents watching a video of my favorite drummer, Taylor Hawkins, and then out of the blue, I told my parents that I wanted to play the drums. They were surprised but supportive and the next summer I went to a place called BandAid School of Music, and the School of Rock, in the US. When I came

By Don Krim “I am supporting my housekeeper’s daughter, preparing to go to college. What does she need…?” “…My gardener’s son is in prepa [high school] and I wish to support him. What do I need to know?” I am asked questions like these all the time. In most of México outside of the larger urban centers, less privileged Mexicans’ transition through high school and to university can be daunting. Kids and their parent(s) may be eager for furthering education, but usually have li

By Aundria McMillan Humphrey When you speak with Carla Cadena, Project Manager for the Campo Economic Development Project of the Rotary Club of San Miguel de Allende–Midday, the conversation quickly moves beyond infrastructure. Yes, the project builds rainwater harvesting cisterns and dry composting toilets. Yes, it addresses water contamination and rural sanitation. But what Carla sees every day is something deeper: the transformation of families and communities from the ins

By Lisa Babincsak For years, growth here largely existed at the boutique level. Independent hotels. Independent developments. Smaller hospitality concepts. Residential expansion that, while noticeable, still felt relatively localized in scale. That is beginning to change. Today, some of the world’s most recognized luxury hospitality groups are entering — orpre paring to enter — the market. Rosewood has long maintained a presence in the region, while internationally recognized

By Carla Maria Pérez Soon the rain will return, bringing with it a particular kind of peace. After months of dust, heat, and bright skies, the air softens, the light dims, and the whole day seems to exhale. Even the familiar streets feel quieter, as though the city itself is remembering how to rest. That is one way the rainy season can teach us about vibrant living. It reminds us that wellness is not always found in doing more, moving faster, or filling every hour. Sometimes

By Meryl Truett At Estudio Mario Oliva, color becomes more than pigment. It becomes memory, atmosphere, language, and emotion. A Través del Círculo Cromático is an evolving series of exhibitions exploring the emotional and symbolic power of color through the work of contemporary artists whose practices move fluidly between abstraction, figuration, photography, and mixed media experimentation. Each exhibition inhabits a different point on the chromatic wheel—sometimes vibrant

By Doreen Cumberford What do you call yourself when you move to another country? Expat? Immigrant? Nomad? Global citizen? If you've spent any time in online forums for foreign residents, you'll know this question generates more heat than a June afternoon in the Jardín. People feel strongly. Labels matter, or do they? Here in San Miguel de Allende, the locals have already solved this problem for us. They call us extranjeros. Simple. Neutral. Done. Except it isn't simple at all

By Lisa Babincsak There are cafés in San Miguel, and then there’s City Market Café. Technically, it’s a grocery store coffee counter. But spiritually, it’s something else entirely. A social vortex. A microclimate of espresso, gossip, networking, accidental reunions, and highly strategic table selection. You don’t really go there just for coffee. You go there to see who’s there. Or who isn’t. By around 10 a.m., once the city has stretched, caffeinated, and accepted the day, th

By Aundria McMillan Humphrey When Pascual Hijuelos opened the door to his home, I expected an hour of conversation. He gave me two. What unfolded was not an interview, but an invitation into his world, his work, and the quiet interior landscape that shapes both. His home, with its clean lines and expansive light, feels like a sanctuary built with intention. Vivid paintings — one stretching more than twenty feet — pulse against white walls. Deep, vivid colors and tonal shifts

By Isabel Castrejón Pascacio The Mexican rebozo is memory, identity, craftsmanship, and fashion woven into one long piece of cloth. For centuries, the rebozo has accompanied women through everyday life, used as a shawl, baby carrier, head covering, symbol of resistance, and statement of elegance. Today, it is experiencing a remarkable revival, finding its place once again in contemporary wardrobes around the world. The story of the rebozo is also the story of México itself: a

By Catherine Marenghi Organizers of the annual San Miguel Writers’ Conference and Literary Festival announced the establishment of the San Miguel Global Literary Institute, a new umbrella organization designed to offer expanded year-round programs and a global reach for San Miguel’s bilingual and multi-cultural literary organization. Because the new Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in the U.S., contributions are now tax-deductible for U.S. donors. “This is one o

By Richard Adelman, M. A. Do you feel as though you are always in a rush? “The hurrieder I go, the behinder I get” is a common experience—even here in San Miguel. Time pressure is not inevitable and does not come from nowhere. It can come from your self-image: thinking of yourself as someone who can or ought to be able to accomplish certain things, regardless of your actual age or ability. Many try to pretend that they are younger than they are. They expect themselves to be a

By Natalie Taylor You can find the taco just about anywhere in the world, and it screams out “México!” The origins of this humble food are pre-Hispanic, going back almost three thousand years. The indigenous peoples of México used freshly made corn tortillas as vessels or utensils to hold food. There are various stories about its name, but most likely it comes from “tlahco” a Nahuatl (Aztec) word meaning “in the middle.” This perfectly describes the action of placing a fillin

By Frank "Sugar" Hudson John Steinbeck told us that in early June every sunset is different. Well, June is here, with longer days and the promise of the coming rains, cooler weather and beautiful sunsets. Early June is still a warm month, with average temperatures fluctuating between 57 degrees and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. But late June usually brings the rains and cooler weather. The first major holiday in June is the Feast Day of Saint Anthony of Padua which is celebrated fr