At the time of year when fruits ripen in quince orchards planted in the countryside just over the hill from Lake Chapala, Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos is preparing to host its tenth annual Festival Internacional del Membrillos over the July 31-August 2 weekend. A full schedule of activities will attract both residents and out-of-town visitors.
This year’s guest country is Greece, represented by the city of Chania, located on the northwest coast of the island of Crete, known in ancient times as Cydonia, which is the etymological root of the English word quince.
Ixtlahuacán likewise takes its extended name from the Spanish word for quince, the festival’s star fruit originally introduced to the region by Franciscan friars who came on evangelization missions during the Colonial era.
This international twinning seeks to strengthen cultural, agricultural, and tourism ties between the two communities, both renowned for their quince production.
The heart of the Membrillo Festival will be at the town’s handsomely renovated central plaza where the public will congregate for daily cultural events and exhibition stalls filled with baskets of freshly harvested quince and traditional fruit products, and others selling artisan crafts and assorted merchandise.
The guest delegates from Chania will showcase Greek history, ancient legends and popular tourist destinations, along with their culinary traditions.
A highlight of the festival will be the August 1 attempt at a Guinness World Record for the largest ate de membrillo (sweet quince paste) ever made, filling a giant mold sculpture. The local government also sponsors gastronomy competitions in the categories of traditional ate, pastries and desserts, international dishes, tasting menus and cocktails made with the tangy fruit, plus a prize for the heaviest membrillo specimen collected in the field.