La Noche de Rábanos (Night of the Radishes) is an annual festival in Oaxaca, Mexico, that takes place in the city's main square on December 23rd. The festival is a competition between artists who try to carve a winning sculpture out of large radishes. Religious themes are common amongst the radish sculptures, but there are a variety of other themes as well. Radishes are carved into small people, animals, buildings, various landscapes, and more. The festival begins in the morning, and the artists work on their sculptures publicly. At night, you can walk around and see the finished creations.
From Atlas Obscura
The competition's origins date back to when holiday market vendors tried to make their vegetables more enticing by making sculptures with them. It was such a hit that the governor, Francisco Vasconcelos, decided to create an official contest in 1897. It's been a tradition in Oaxaca ever since.
