On Workers' Day, Mexican town throws party for hardworking donkeys

A Mexican town in Otumba celebrated May Day with its annual National Donkey Festival, honoring the hardworking animal through traditional events such as donkey racing, polo, and costume contests. The long-running festival, which began in 1965, continues to recognize the donkey’s role in rural life while promoting cultural heritage and environmental awareness.

Diego Delgado, Gloria Lopez/Reuters

2 May 2026 at 05:09:57

A screen grab of a video posted by Reuters.

Reuters

A Mexican town marked May Day on Friday (May 1) with their annual donkey festival to honour the hard-working animal and maintain their tradition alive.

The National Donkey Festival is a twist to the Labour Day in the 16th-century rural Mexican town of Otumba, in the central State of Mexico.

The festival included a polo game played on a donkey's back, donkey racing and a donkey costume contest.

The winner of the 2026 costume contest, Beky, paraded dressed as a bee in an attempt to raise awareness about the decline of pollinators and their impact on the environment, its owner Claudia Martinez said.

The event's origins trace back to 1965, when residents of Otumba, who relied heavily on donkeys for labour, decided the hardworking animals deserved recognition.

-Diego Delgado, Gloria Lopez/Reuters