The authentic article was revealed in TravelAwaits on Feb. 24, 2022.
I’ve spent 4 winters in Mazatlan since 2018 and I’ve been dazzled
by its pre-Lent Carnaval 3 times. In 2021 I didn’t go and the occasion
didn’t occur both. So when it was introduced that the Carnaval de Mazatlan could be held in 2022 with the theme, “Lanao, El Viaje Continuar,” I
was excited. The 124th season of one of many largest carnivals within the
world alongside the 10-day Rio and the single-day New Orleans, happened on Feb. 24 to March 1. It was a six-day Mardi
Gras of coronations, fireworks, live shows, video games, parades, and events
celebrated alongside the 21-kim lengthy Malecon, the longest boardwalk in Latin
America.
Thursday Feb. 24. The Coronation
of the Carnival King
The first occasions had been the coronations of the Royal Carnival Family who will preside over the festivities:
The King, The Queens, and the Child Queen. These occasions had been held on the Teodoro
Mariscal Baseball Stadium with a capability of 16,000 and featured numerous dancing,
animated video results, and epic fireworks.
From 1898 to
1928 the Carnival King was known as the King of Madness, celebrating the satirical
function kings generally play. From 1929 to 1964, the coronations had been suspended.
When the organizers introduced again royalty into the Carnaval, it turned The King
of Joy. This Coronation was held at 8 pm, on Feb. 24. It was a enjoyable and
rowdy opening night time adopted by an enormous live performance.
Friday Feb. 25 & 26
The Coronation of the Carnival Queens
The Queens
are chosen from among the many winners of many magnificence contests held throughout
Mazatlan. The winner is asserted The Carnival Queen and the runner-up is the
Queen of the Floral Games. People gown casually for the King’s Coronation however
for the Queens’ celebrations, they arrive out of their finest social gathering apparel. The
Carnival Queen was topped at 6 pm on Feb. 26.
The day
earlier than, a poetry and literature contest that began again in 1925 known as the
Floral Games, was staged. It included an award for one of the best literary work
revealed in Mexico that yr. Its title got here from the flowers initially given
as prizes however now with the myriad of entries it receives, the literary awards
have turn out to be very prestigious with many well-known authors among the many previous winners. The
Queen of the Floral Games was topped at 8 pm.
Saturday, Feb. 26. The Burning of Bad Humor and Naval Combat
Right after
the Coronation of The Carnival Queen, an uncommon occasion is held. The Burning of
the Bad Humor is a Mexican custom. A large puppet that has been full of
firecrackers is hanged after which burned to banish one thing unhealthy that’s hovering
over the town. Most of the time, it’s an unpopular public determine however in 2020
it was, in fact, Coronavirus. The virus has not left us, nonetheless, so that they burned it
once more this yr!
Immediately after,
the most well-liked occasion of the week bursts into the scene. Over 500,000 folks congregate in Olas Atlas, the enduring golden seaside of Mazatlan and the Carnaval social gathering zone at
the southern finish of the Malecon. Extravagant fireworks show accompanied “Naval Combat,” the reenactment of the battle between a French naval ship that
tried to invade Mazatlán and the residents who fiercely fought again. The occasion has
been the image of Mazatlan’s valor and victory. This yr we tried to rearrange
to look at it aboard a rented ferry boat however we failed. Others reserve spots on roofs of lodges
and condos.
Sunday, Feb. 27. The Carnival
Parade
But it’s the
Carnival Parade that highlights the week. About 300,000 folks watch because it slowly
travels alongside the Avenue del Mar that hugs the lengthy boardwalk of the Malecon. Families
stake out their spots early and carry their folding chairs and coolers on lengthy
walks from distant parking heaps. In 2019 we watched from a raised platform
constructed by the Hotel Hacienda. Our front-row seats had been a strategic spot from
which I took photos of the revelry as much as late into the night time. Others reserve
a desk at a excessive sufficient restaurant deck or guide an evening at one of many many lodges
with balconies fronting the Malecon.
The parade
leaves at about 4:30 pm from the Fishermen’s Monument going north to the well-known
Valentino’s, a stretch of 11 kilometers of the Malecon. A pre-parade will see participation
from companies like Pacifico tossing out freebies to the gang. The major parade
rolls out half-hour later. This yr we noticed 30 (was 40) elaborately
embellished themed floats, 1000’s of dancers, musicians, and even dancing
horses and current carnival royalty. In the previous few days, big monigotes
(artistic stick males) have been rapidly put in alongside the everlasting Malecon
monuments.
Monday, Feb. 28. The Children’s
Dance and the Child Queen Coronation
And the
kids have their very own day on the Carnaval! At 10 am on Monday, the Children’s Dance
was held on the Salon Spectaculare which crammed up with keen little
kids dancing to the delight of household and mates. There had been numerous awards
and prizes for each choreography and costumes. In the night at 6:30 pm the
Coronation of the Child Queen, a convention that began in 1921, was held
on the baseball stadium.
Tuesday, March 1. The
Second Parade
On the final
day, Shrove Tuesday (the day earlier than Ash Wednesday), a second parade marks the
finish. The parade flows alongside the identical route however instantly after, epic social gathering bursts and lasts lengthy into the night time. It is the final probability to social gathering earlier than the
solemn observance of Lent begins. On this parade that begins earlier at 4 pm,
every thing is extra informal, relaxed, and fewer crowded.
The Carnaval de Mazatlan encapsulates vibrant Mexican tradition and
historical past with an abundance of typical Mazatleco music and brass bands at each
nook, pageant meals at each flip, and costumes and pageantry at each hour. On
Carnaval week, many many extra satellite tv for pc occasions will occur all week lengthy in every single place when the entire metropolis is in social gathering mode. It doesn’t fail to dazzle yearly. 2022 was the identical!
Pro-Tip:
Carnaval 2022 was managed at 75% capability in line with the Mexican Covid
Traffic Light System which put Mazatlan at code yellow. We have felt protected right here as a result of folks persist with mask-wearing not solely indoors however even outside! Temperature-monitoring
and hand sanitizer stations had been in every single place!
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