We are just a few days away from the 127th edition of the Mazatlán Carnival. This festival, which has a long tradition dating back to 1898, is known for being one of the most important and colorful in Mexico, and this year will have the theme “The Pearl”, inspired by the underwater world and the beauty of the Pacific Ocean.
The Mazatlán Carnival will begin on Thursday, February 27 and ends on Tuesday, March 4.
In order to guarantee the safety of visitors, surveillance has been reinforced on the Durango-Mazatlán highway to experience one of the most important festivals in the country.
The Mazatlán Carnival is a festival full of history and tradition that make it one of the most emblematic celebrations in Mexico, and the third largest in the world, only after those in Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans, attracting more than a million people each year.
10 interesting facts about the Mazatlán Carnival
One of the oldest in the country: Although there are records of celebrations since 1827, when soldiers held a “convite, masquerade and comparsa”, the carnival as we know it today took shape in 1898. That makes it a tradition with more than 125 years of organized history, making it one of the oldest in Mexico.
The “Flour Festival”: In its beginnings, the carnival was known as the “Flour Festival”. People threw eggshells filled with flour and coloring at each other, a practice that lasted until 1989, when it was changed to confetti and streamers to make it more “civilized”, becoming quite a challenge to clean it up the next day.
First non-Mexican queen: The first Carnival Queen, in 1900, was Winifred Farmer, an American born in Maine who came to Mazatlán as a child with her family. She was crowned as the consort of King Teodoro Maldonado, marking a curious beginning for carnival royalty.
The Ugly King who became the King of Joy: In 1898, Gerardo de la Vega was the first King of Carnival, also nicknamed “King of Madness.” Over time, the title evolved and for a period he was called “Ugly King,” until in 1983 he was established as “King of Joy,” a much more festive name
Historical cancellations: Carnival has not always been all about partying. It was canceled in 1903 due to an outbreak of bubonic plague, in 1912 due to smallpox, and more recently in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There were also years, such as 1906 and 1915, when it was not held due to lack of money.
An assassination in the middle of the celebration: In 1944, during a carnival Sunday, the governor of Sinaloa, Rodolfo T. Loaiza, was assassinated in a seafood restaurant in Mazatlán. The event marked the history of the festival, which was partially suspended that year.
The Sinaloa band as the protagonist: Unlike other carnivals, such as the one in Rio with its samba, in Mazatlán the music of the Sinaloa band is the heart of the celebration. It is so essential that even the famous Banda El Recodo was crowned as “King of Joy” in 2009.
Naval Combat: One of the most spectacular events is the Naval Combat, a fireworks show that simulates a sea battle in front of the boardwalk. It is a tribute to the port history of Mazatlán and an explosive closing to the “Burning of Bad Mood.”
Giant puppets: The streets are decorated with enormous figures called “monigotes”, made of paper mache and wire. In the 1990s, they were inspired by the Fallas of Valencia, and today they are an iconic symbol of the carnival, sometimes reaching over 30 meters in height.
A cultural carnival: It’s not all about parades and parties; the Mazatlán Carnival includes events such as the Floral Games, a poetry contest that began in 1928, and artistic shows that give it a unique touch compared to other carnivals that are more focused only on revelry.
Which of them did you know? These details show how the Mazatlán Carnival mixes history, culture and fun in a very special way.
So get ready to experience, during the next five days, a party with various activities and shows in Mazatlán.
Source: elsiglodedurango
