La Noche de Rábanos

La Noche de Rábanos, or Night of the Radishes, takes place each December 23rd in the zocalo (main square) of Oaxaca, Mexico, In this contest, sculptures made only of radishes compete for a prize. The tradition began in 1897 when vegetable merchants, hoping to attract buyers, adorned their stalls with radishes and other vegetables which could be pealed to create flower sculptures; a contest was held and the prize given to the stall with the most skilful design. La Noche de Rábanos still demonstrates the whimsical creativity and skill of Oaxacan craftsmen as they create cultural and traditional scenes of Oaxaca.