La Cometa

Each year on November 1st Sacatepéquez hosts a festival of giant kites in honor of All Saints Day. After many months of construction, people from all over Sacatepéquez celebrate and honor friends and family who have passed away by flying enormous kites adorned with elaborate symbology. These kites (La Cometas) are anchored from the cemeteries and can be seen flying above the tombstones and crypts. Tradition states it is the thunderous impact of the winds against the kites themselves which permits the the living to commune with the dead, protect the spirits of those who have passed from troubled ghosts, and allows the souls of loved ones to rest peacefully.

In this region of Sacatepéquez , the producers who contribute to La Cometa are fortunate to live on the skirts of the three beautiful and active Volcanos; Volcán del Agua, de Fuego, and Acatenango. Previous volcanic activity and the hot winds from the Guatemalan Pacific Coast offer these producers land rich in nutrients and warmth. It is these conditions which lead to a coffee with a very unique and delicious profile. The producers that work here are motivated and passionate to produce high quality coffees as they have recognized the connection between hard work, quality, and income. The premiums these producers earn through farming specialty coffee is life altering and has already enabled them to improve harvest after harvest.