The free event that started in 2019 celebrates the Maya community around the Bay Area.
The fifth Bay Area Maya Festival took place on Saturday, Oct. 3, at City College’s Mission Center. The annual event celebrates Maya communities, their traditions and artistic expressions.
The contemporary paintings by Maya Artists of Guatemala, the collection by Mayawomeninart.org/Artemaya.org, displayed at the 2026 Bay Area Maya Festival, Oct. 3, 2026. (Ekevara Kitpowsong/The Guardsman)
With the aim of unifying Maya communities across the Bay Area, the colorful event brought together music, poetry, books, food, dance and other artistic expressions as a way to honor their heritage and history.
(L-R) Mexican-Triqui music artist Carlos CGH, originally from the Triqui community in Oaxaca, performs rap in the Triqui language. Angel Bautista, a Mexican rapper and music producer from Oaxaca, performs rap music. Lydia Candila, of Asociación Mayab, poses for a photo, Oct. 3, 2026. (Ekevara Kitpowsong/The Guardsman)
Guatemalan tostadas were served to attendees. Francisco Icalá, one of the organizers of the Bay Area Maya Festival, freelance interpreter Maya K'iche', and case manager of Instituto Familiar De La Raza, prepared Guatemalan tostadas for the public. Oct. 3, 2026. (Ekevara Kitpowsong/The Guardsman)
(1) Gabriela Alonzo, mother of Emily Cauich, 8, and Geny Villarreal pose for a photo at their vendor table selling clothes from Yucatán, Mexico. (2) The performance of the annual Maya Textile Exposition: the making of traditional Maya Mam people clothing from the Cuchumatanes Sierras, Guatemala. (3-4) Asociación Mayab performs for the audience. Oct. 3, 2026. (Ekevara Kitpowsong/The Guardsman)
Luis Gonzalez, 27, a librarian at the San Francisco Public Library’s main library, brought a button-making station for attendees. “We created a custom Mayan art, Mayan-inspired button template, where people can come in, use our button makers and make buttons,” said Gonzalez.
Luis Gonzalez, a librarian at the Latinx Center, and attendees making Mayan Button Art. Oct. 3, 2026. (Ekevara Kitpowsong/The Guardsman)
Gonzalez believes that the festival is important to honor the multifaceted and complex identities of Mayan people.
“It's important to honor indigenous heritage given that indigeneity specifically in Central and South America, and obviously North America, has existed longer than many other countries that exist today,” he said.
