From native plants to local flavors, mindful movement to public transit, here are the latest events and updates shaping daily life in San Miguel.
El Charco del Ingenio hosts 2nd Biocultural Plant Fair
On June 21-22, El Charco del Ingenio, San Miguel’s beloved botanical garden and nature preserve, will host the Second Biocultural Fair of Semi‑Desert Plants, a celebration of the region’s resilient native flora. The event is free and open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring workshops, guided tours, live music, and art exhibitions.
Beyond just a plant sale, this fair is an invitation to “listen to the land and its voices”. Talks and workshops throughout the weekend will cover topics such as designing pollinator-friendly gardens, using native plants for natural pest control, and exploring the agave plant’s deep cultural and ecological significance. A session on native trees will spotlight their critical role in strengthening ecological balance and resilience in the face of climate change.
This event will be an homage to the living knowledge of the land and to the resilient species that flourish in the desert, like huizaches, yellow-flowered fraile plants, cacalosúchiles, and dozens of local succulents.
California glamor meets Mexican cuisine in the park
San Miguel de Allende’s premier Food & Wine Festival, San Miguel y sus Sabores, returns to Parque Juárez from June 27 to 29, bringing together flavors from across the region. Many of the city’s top local restaurants will offer signature tastings for under 70 pesos, with live music, DJ sets, and a laid-back, open-air setting in the park.
This year, the festival also becomes a stage for international collaboration. As part of San Miguel’s Sister Cities partnership with Palm Springs, California, a high-level delegation, including Palm Springs Mayor Ron deHarte, city officials, hospitality leaders, and six College of the Desert culinary students, will travel to San Miguel to participate in the event.
The students will train with San Miguel chefs and receive college credit through a first-of-its-kind culinary and hospitality exchange program in partnership with the Universidad Tecnológica de San Miguel de Allende (UTSMA). In return, UTSMA students will intern alongside visiting Palm Springs chefs at local restaurants, culminating in a collaborative culinary showcase.
This exchange builds on a growing partnership: earlier this year, Palm Springs hosted San Miguel de Allende chefs during the Palm Springs International Food & Wine Festival. That collaboration sparked a spirit of exchange, and this summer, the cross-cultural learning deepens as the U.S. contingent travels south.
With free entry, affordable tastings, and cultural activities, San Miguel y sus Sabores offers a delicious way to celebrate local flavors, and, this summer, global friendships as well.
Preserving San Miguel’s 125-Year-Old Clock
Perhaps you’ve noticed the jardín principal (the main plaza) is quieter than usual. That’s because San Miguel de Allende’s iconic clock tower is paused for restoration.
Installed in 1900, this cherished timepiece has kept time for 125 years. Its manual mechanism requires winding every eight days and careful maintenance every three years. The bells, tuned to “Re” on the hour and “Sol-La” on the quarter-hour, have become part of the city’s rhythm.
To preserve it for future generations, the local government has launched a restoration project, with clockmaker Daniel Vázquez (who inherited the role from his father, Raúl Vázquez), overseeing the work. During this rare month-long pause, the clock has fallen silent, offering a chance to reflect on its deeper meaning, according to city mayor, Mauricio Trejo: “This clock not only gives the time; it gives identity, history, and community.”
Bus fare increases in San Miguel under discussion
Bus riders in San Miguel may soon see a fare increase, the first in thirteen years. While transportation operators (concesionarios) have proposed raising the fare by up to 5 pesos, some reports have circulated about a possible jump to 18 pesos. Mayor Mauricio Trejo Pureco has firmly denied that figure, saying he would “never allow it to happen”.
A fare increase may be in store, nonetheless, with the mayor advocating for bus users and insisting that any increase be tied to tangible service improvements. These include eliminating window tinting and spoilers, standardizing the color of all vehicles, requiring drivers to wear uniforms and maintain a clean appearance, and banning music with lyrics that glorify crime to ensure a safer and more respectful ride.
A final agreement is expected this month.
San Miguel de Allende inspires Mexican Actor Diego Boneta’s debut novel
San Miguel de Allende plays a central role in The Undoing of Alejandro Velasco (La perdición de Alejandro Velasco), the debut novel by Diego Boneta, a Mexican actor best known for portraying iconic Mexican singer Luis Miguel, in Netflix’s biopic. Set against the city’s historic and artistic backdrop, the psychological thriller explores themes of privilege, rivalry, and long-buried secrets within Mexico’s elite, steering away from the narco narratives that often dominate portrayals of the country.
In choosing San Miguel, Boneta described it as “the Florence of Mexico”, adding, “I really wanted it [the book] to feel like it came from my heart. So I had to write about things I’m truly passionate about, and San Miguel is one of them,” he said. “It’s truly a magical town.”
The story follows Julian Villareal as he navigates the aftermath of his tennis rival’s death and uncovers the secrets of the wealthy Velasco family. The novel, released May 1, 2025, is available in both English and Spanish, with Boneta narrating the audiobook versions. A TV adaptation is already in development with Amazon Studios, and Boneta will star as Julian.
Karla Parra is a Mexican-American writer based in San Miguel de Allende. She writes the MND series Hecho en México, authors Coloring Across Lines on Substack and helps organize the annual San Miguel Writers’ Conference. You can find her on Instagram as @karlaexploradora.
