Sunday Nov 23

Origins of Mexican Holidays and Celebrations

Claudia Miramontes Moranchell

​

How much do you know about the festivals happening soon Lakeside and across Mexico? With a flurry of holidays about to unfold, explore the how, why and when of Mexico’s national and regional events, including modern twists on secular and religious traditions that we will be sharing with our Mexican neighbors.
Claudia Miramontes Moranchell is the current director of the Ajijic Cultural Center, Claudia was born in Guadalajara and has a bachelor’s degree in Pedagogy with studies related to history, traditional culture, and museum education. She is responsible for promoting and disseminating the artistic, cultural, and historical legacy of Master Sculptor Miguel Miramontes Carmona, her father. She is also the creator of the “A Day in the Museum” initiative, about museums and cultural spaces as an essential and alternative resource to formal education for low-income children with low academic performance.

Sunday Nov 30

Introducing AbrazoPaz’s Youth Leadership Program 2026

Presenter: Livier Ayón

How can Lake Chapala communities cultivate a culture of peace through education, mentorship, intensive experiential learning, and practical community action? Fostering intergenerational leadership for young people Lakeside, AbrazoPaz centers its interdisciplinary work on nurturing awareness and compassion, rooted in relationships - within, among one another, and the environment.
Livier Ayón is a social psychologist, facilitator, and Chevening Scholar. She founded AbrazoPaz, a grassroots NGO dedicated to fostering a culture of peace through experiential leadership, relational practice, and youth-focused community action.

Sunday Dec 7

The Chapala Independent Film Festival: Cine Sin Fronteras

Presenters: Carmen Carolina and Carlos Canseco

 The Chapala Indie Film Festival (CIFF) returns for its 2025 edition in December, celebrating cinema as a limitless language. In its third edition, the Festival reaffirms its commitment to independent cinema as a force for encounter, reflection and cultural transformation. Open Circle will project one of the festival's film categories, highlighting films that break barriers, explore physical, emotional, and creative territories without fear.

Sunday Dec 14

Uncovering your Purpose in Life

Presenter: Dr. Daniel Acuff

Dr. Acuff uses storytelling and fictional characters to deliver a lecture sue to take the Open Circle audience “beyond” The Celestine Prophecy to explore more fully life’s meaning.
Dr. Acuff is the primary author of What Kids Buy and Why, - The Psychology of Marketing to Kids published by Simon & Schuster’s Free Press and the nonfiction self-help relationships book Relationships Rx. He has led seminars and workshops in front of thousands for more than fifteen years. 

Sunday Dec 21

Special Event: LIVE PERFORMANCE Mariachi Juvenil Axixic

Boy, does Ajijic have talent! Come to this annual holiday celebration with a Mariachi twist. Ajijic is honored to have one of Jalisco’s leading youth Mariachi organizations, led by Maestro Daniel Medeles and a team of professional musician facilitators. Come hear these talented young musicians perform traditional music and even a holiday favorite or two!

Sunday Dec 28

Lake Chapala: One of the Best Places to Grow Younger

Presenter: Michael Nuschke

Come learn how a retirement futurist sees lifestyle, community, and new technologies stacking the odds for your next 10 years. In this talk, he’ll explore why places like Lake Chapala may be among the best spots in the world to grow older well—how sun, community, lifestyle, and emerging technologies may work together to improve our odds of a good next decade. The focus will be on practical lifestyle expansion choices for the next 10 years.
Michael Nuschke spent over 40 years as a retirement planner in Canada, helping clients navigate the financial and emotional side of life after work. He now writes and speaks as a “Retirement Futurist” at RetirementSingularity.com and recently gave a TEDx Ajijic talk on how AI may change the future of retirement.