Mexico’s carnival, fiesta forever!
Is your Group Tour looking for a unique Carnival (Carnaval in Spanish) experience close to home with a foreign feel? Search no further than our southern neighbor, México. Hosting an array of parades, parties, concerts, culinary festivals, cultural programs and beauty pageants, Mexican coastal cities offer Mardi Gras celebrations comparable to those in New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro or anywhere else in the world.
Celebrated the week prior to Ash Wednesday and normally lasting a little less than a week, Carnival in Mexico has a long tradition dating back to the nineteenth century. Coming from the Latin word Carnavale, meaning “goodbye to the flesh,” Carnival refers to the week before Lent (Cuaresma), where carefree abandonment and indulgence are encouraged.
Beauty Queens and Burning Moods, what else can you ask for?
Kick-off begins with the burning of El Mal Humor (Bad Mood), in which an effigy, usually modeled after an unpopular politician of the day, is hung and burned, followed by a flurry of confetti and fireworks. This gives commencement to nearly a week of festivities in some of Mexico’s most popular coastal cities, including Campeche, Mazatlan, Veracruz and Merida, just to name a few.
Host cities celebrate all sorts of parades daily, depending on the local carnival’s theme, which differs from region to region. Parades display an array of floats decoratively inspired by Mexican scenery and normally featuring bright flowers and live entertainment. Some parades require an entrance fee, and visitors are advised to get tickets to the parade as soon as they can through the local tourist office or hotel.
No carnival is complete without pageantry. Included in the festivities are two major pageants: the crowning of the Reina del Carnaval (Carnival Queen); and the selection of the Rey del Carnaval (Carnival King), who may take on different names, including Rey Feo (Ugly King) or Rey de Alegria (King of Happiness), depending on the city. Hopefuls compete in a grand ceremony for the coveted titles, followed by a massive party, featuring performances by regional music or dance groups.
Winners are crowned by a local government official and earn the privilege of being part of the major parades, normally held on Sunday and Tuesday during Carnival week. To culminate the week of festivities, there is yet another symbolic burning. This time, it’s of “Juan Carnaval,” another effigy symbolizing all that is impure. The burning and burial of this character represents a fresh, new beginning, paving the way to the period of Lent and the spring.
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Courtesy of grouptravelblog.com
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