Upcoming Events In The Mexican Caribbean & Yucatan

Events in Cancun, Riviera Maya and Yucatan

Here’s our regular round up of festivals and events in Cancun, Riviera Maya and Yucatan in the next few months.

Cozumel Carnival, February 7-13

Dating from 1876, Cozumel Carnival is the oldest Carnival in the Yucatan Peninsula and one of the oldest in Mexico.

Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Isla Mujeres, Merida, Campeche and Valladolid will also be holding their own Carnival celebrations; the dates may vary slightly in each location, February 6-13.

Island Time Festival, Isla Mujeres, February 12-17

Nashville and Key West bring their music to the Mexican Caribbean, all for a good cause, to raise money for the Little Yellow School House for children with special needs. The Island Time Music and Fishing Festival has a packed program of concerts for 2018, check the line up of performers and tickets https://www.islandtimemusicfest.com

Isla Blanca Kite Festival, February 24 and 25

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Isla Blanca north of Punta Sam.

Spring Equinox at Chichen Itza, March 20-22

The famous light and shadow serpent of Kukulcan appears on El Castillo Pyramid at Chichen Itza and descends from the heavens at sunset on the day of the Spring Equinox (March 20-22). It is also visible the day before and after, cloud cover permitting.

Elsewhere in the Yucatan, at dawn on the day of the Equinox the rising sun appears through the doorway of the Temple of the Dolls in the ancient city of Dzibilchaltun to the north of Merida.

The spring equinox officially falls on March 20 in 2018 but the largest gathering at Chichen Itza takes place on March 21, a national holiday in Mexico.