Thursday February 27 – Tuesday March 4.
Mazatlan is a party on the Pacific and nothing says “let’s party like the 127th Carnaval celebration”. This year’s theme is La Perla – as Cultura writes “the immensity of the sea, its blue colour, its waves hitting the coasts and all life that lives in it, has inspired the theme of this year’s Carnaval – The Pearl.” For your own dressing-up think of all the living creatures that inhabit the sea – octopus, oysters, colourful fish, coral and yes, mermaids. Join this wave of joy because everyone wants to celebrate this annual six-day festival.
Most likely, but confirmation is required – there will be several entrances to the fiesta from Olas Altas – $70 pesos, cash only -but count on long line-ups with his and her security gates. Entrances from north to south: Rigoberto Lewis, Zaragoza, Paseo Claussen, Angel Flores, Constitución and Sixto Osuna. If you are not fond of crowds and have an aversion to being swept along by high spirited party-goers then Olas Altas is not for you. It’s all well-meaning, but people do push you along and for some that’s not a welcome feeling. Travel light – no purse, no wallet, carry only the bare minimum ID and a few pesos for drinks and food
Tweleve young women who are wanting to be the queen of Carnaval for 2025 will be busy gathering votes and money from friends. The campaigning is taken very seriously. For women entering the contest who wish to be queen, the rules are: born in Mazatlan or lived in Mazatlan for three years, can’t be a mother, nor pregnant, nor married and you must be between the ages of 17 – 25 on the day of the election. [Our current mayor of Mazatlan is Estrella Palacios Dominguez, she is an ex-Carnaval Queen, meaning there as so many opportunities for queens in the future.] In 2025, four kings “El Rey” are competing and two “child queens.”
For six nights, 6 pm. until around 4 am. the All -Access Street party takes place – from Centro’s Zaragoza to the Freeman Hotel/Best Western [Paseo Claussen and Olas Altas] it’s one long stream of people with 12 music stations; the beer is flowing, the grills are smokin’ hot, and massive stages for bands are dotted on this fiesta route.
Thursday February 27: Entertainment to be announced – but the party starts this night on Olas Altas.
Friday February 28 Coronation pageant for Queen of the flower games/Coronación Reina de los Juegos Florales. Estadio Teodoro Mariscal/ Baseball Stadium 8:30 pm.
Saturday March 1; Coronation pageant for the Queen of Carnaval/Coronación Reina del Carnaval. Estadio Teodoro Mariscal/ Baseball Stadium, 6:30 pm.
Saturday March 2 :Burning of the Bad Humour/Quema del mal humor; In 2024 is was Cobre del Teléfono Ceulular– so who knows for 2025? The smallish parade begins at 8:30 p.m. on Zaragoza and Aquiles Serdan ]and ends with “the burning” on Avenida del Mar, 9:00 pm. Free.]
Saturday February 10: Combate Naval/ Naval battle fought on the water (and the shore) with fireworks that will be launched on Olas Altas at around 11 pm. It’s never too early to start thinking about reserving your viewing spot with friends, hotels, etc. These choreographed fireworks to music are not to be missed. Free. [80,000 ++ people attended in 2024.]
Sunday March 2: First Carnaval Parade/Primer Desfile de Carnaval, starts around 5:30 p.m. To be confirmed but most likely: Fisherman’s Monument/Monumento al Pescador and goes north to Valentino’s on Rafael Buelna. Themed floats [promotional floats are the first, then there’s a lag time of an hour until the “real” floats] and loads of live music. Unlike any other parade you have ever seen – party like a Mazatleco! Free. The route with approximate times: 5:30, Av. Rotarismo; 6, Hotel de Cima; 7, Lola Beltrán; 7:30 Hotel de Sol; 7:45 Olas Altas Inn 8, El Toro Bravo; 8:30 Valentino’s. [In 2024 600,000 people lined the streets, there were 29 floats and the parade took about four hours.]
Monday March 3: Children’s Costume Ball/Baile Infantil, Salón Spectaculare, 10:00 am., on Av. Camaron Sabalo in front of the Hotel Quijote Inn.
Monday March 3: Coronation of the Child Queen of Carnaval/Coronación Infantil: Baseball Stadium, Estadio Teodoro Mariscal. 6:30 pm.
Monday March 3: More free entertainment at night on Olas Altas.
Tuesday March 4: Second Carnaval Parade/Segundo Desfile de Carnaval, 4:30 pm. To be confirmed but most likely: from the “old” Aquarium south along the Malecon to Miguel Aleman. It’s a mini version of the Sunday parade, but still has many of the fabulous floats. The route and the approximate times: 4:30, Av. de los Deportes; 5, Lola Beltrán; 5:45, Hotel de Cima; 6, Hotel Plaza Marina; 7:15, Av. Zaragoza; and then along around 7:35 Olas Altas.
The parade is followed with lots of live music that usually starts at 10 p.m. on Paseo Claussen.