The Last Melodies: Mexico’s Fading Tradition of the Organ Grinder

A traditional organ grinder plays an antique wooden barrel organ in Coyoacán’s main park, Mexico. The instrument is decorated with red fabric, and the background features trees, park walkways, and a terracotta-colored historic building.

Today, the sight of an organillero cranking out a melody beneath the shade of Jardín Centenario’s old trees is increasingly rare. Yet, in places like Coyoacán, where tradition and art remain deeply intertwined, their melodies still rise above the hum of conversation, weaving themselves into the fabric of the present.

For those who pause to listen, the sound of an organ grinder in Jardín Centenario is more than a fleeting note from the past—it is a call to remember a time when music was not just entertainment but a shared experience, a soundtrack to the city’s soul.

A traditional organillero performs in Coyoacán’s main park, preserving a musical tradition that has become rare in Mexico.​

Here’s a link to explore the tradition of organilleros (Spanish) in Mexico. And discover La Condesa, one of Mexico City’s most iconic neighborhoods.

Photos from our May 2023 stay in Coyoacán, Mexico.