Speaking calendar/Night of the Radishes
December 23rd · Oaxaca, Mexico

Night of the Radishes

Known in Spanish as 'Noche de Rábanos', this is a unique festival in Oaxaca, Mexico, where people carve giant radishes into elaborate scenes, from religious stories to local wildlife. It started in 1897 as a way for farmers to attract customers to their Christmas market stalls. Today we're debating vegetable art—is this the most creative festival on earth, or just a waste of perfectly good food? We explore the magic of oaxaca.

SPEAKING LESSONB1 / B2Discussion · Vocabulary · Activities
01 / LET’S TALK

Speaking Discussion

  1. Why do humans feel the need to turn food into art?
  2. What is the most unusual material you have ever seen someone use for art?
  3. Is a festival better when its art is temporary (like a radish that rots) or permanent?
  4. If you had to carve a radish to represent your life, what would it look like?
  5. Does a festival need to be ancient to be important, or can a market gimmick become a tradition?
02 / PUT IT INTO PRACTICE

Activity 1: The Radish Artist

You are a Radish Carver. You have 30 seconds to convince a judge that your vegetable sculpture is a masterpiece.

Activity 2: Rapid Fire Debate

Justify your answer in 30 seconds:

  • "Art should always be permanent."
  • "We should never play with our food."
  • "The simplest things can be the most beautiful."