Carnaval Offers Wild Revelry in Veracruz, Mexico

Throughout the various Mexican cultures, one annual festival stands out above the rest — Carnaval.  Each and every year the City of Veracruz awakens and a live celebration and revelry comes alive that not only entertains its visitors, but completely immerses them in the culture. 

Carnaval is held each year before Lent and travelers will find themselves surrounded by parades, live music and an overall party atmosphere.  This festival takes Mardi Gras to an entirely new level!

Carnaval in Veracruz is the most anticipated festival in this small state of Mexico.  Each year the hearts of the people begin to race as the winter means Carnaval is coming and Veracruz's Carnaval is known to be the wildest pre-Lent celebration that can be found north of Rio de Janeiro.

Carnaval is Veracruz's Mardi Gras equivalent.  Each year, nine days before Lent to be precise, the people of Veracruz begin their nine days of all-night partying, dancing, music, parades, costumes and floats.  The city almost shuts down as every person in the city, including visitors, descend on the City of Veracruz for this anticipated celebration.  All of the streets and hotels are packed and if they can't get a hotel room, they have no problem sleeping in their cars! 

Carnaval originally began in 1866 during the reign of Emperor Maxmillian.  Today, Carnaval celebrations have been held each year in Veracruz without interruption since 1923 and they continue to hold these celebrations to this day.

The Veracruz's version of Carnaval is similar to other Latin American Carnvals in that it merges the church, state and the people into an annual celebration designed to preserve the past while also looking forward to the future.  The first Carnaval celebrations were able to do this, within the constraints of the church, 500 years ago with the Venetians. 

The culture anticipates and prepares for this celebration each year.  There are several rituals that are also held to help build this anticipation.  The Jarochos make their preparations for the Zocalo opening ceremony with "The Burning of Bad Humor" or the Quema del Mal Humor.  This is the burning of satanic personages that are identified as "bad moods" or mal humor.  The people's bad mood is buried so that they can all sing and dance in the streets and they do this in ornate costumes and masks.  This goes on until the coronation of the Queen takes place on Saturday night during the adult grand parade.  The Queen is the most important personage during Carnaval.  She then crowns the "Ugly King" or El Rey Feo three days before Lent.  A child's parade also takes place and Carnaval finally ends on Ash Wednesday with the last courtship and Funeral of Juan Carnaval.  This is the most lavish of all the parades. 

There are parades all throughout Carnaval, but the most lavish parades take place along the Malecon or seaside promenade.  Parades take place throughout the week, although they are usually scaled down from the most lavish parades that are held.  Every Carnaval spectator must see at least one of the four nightly parades that are held and experience all of the energy and excitement of Carnaval.