Events in Cancun
From fireworks symposiums to gourmet food fairs, film festivals and art exhibitions, Cancun offers visitors an eclectic mix of artsy entertainment, dazzling shows and participation in local traditional celebrations that raise any ordinary Mexican beach vacation experience into extraordinarily memorable.
January
Mayan Village Show
Enjoy recreations of ancient Mayan festivals, including a jungle walk and celebration of the discovery of fire, throughout the month of January, at Xcaret Park. Call (52) 8-812400 for more information.
Epiphany
During the first week in January, local restaurants serve a cake called Rosca de Reyes, which is baked with one small doll inside. The lucky recipient must invite everyone at the table to hot chocolate and tamales served in February during Candlemas. Call (52) 8-846531 for more information.
February
Candlemas
During the first week of February, the end of the Christmas season is marked with the Candlemas celebration in homes and at local restaurants, involving a meal of tamales and hot chocolate.
Constitution Day
Speeches and ceremonies commemorating this National Holiday, on February 5.
Dia de la Bandera (Flag Day)
In mid-February, the streets are filled with Mexican flag vendors, and on February 24 everyone places a flag on their cars while children present a commemorative ceremony.
March
Carnival
During the first half of March, Cancun celebrates its version of this pre-Ash Wednesday event, with floats, street parties with local food and drinks, and a variety of events, all over town.
Benito Juarez's Birthday
National Holiday honoring president and leader of the 19th-Century Reform movement, on March 21.
Vernal Equinox
Visitors come to the main temple at Chichen Itza in late March to see the descent of the serpent Kukulkan. History has it that the Maya constructed the temple in a way that during equinox a beam of sunlight creates a shadow moving down towards earth resembling a slithering snake.
Laser Sailing Show
During the last half of March, the waters around Cancun are filled with sailing vessels of all description.
April
Holy Week and Easter
Celebrations and processions in observance of Christ's resurrection, during the Easter holiday.
Anniversary of the Founding of Cancun
Residents celebrate the origin of their city throughout the downtown area with parades and street parties, throughout the downtown area.
May
Cinco de Mayo
National holiday commemorating Mexico's defeat of the French in the Battle of Puebla in 1862, on May 5.
Cancun Jazz Festival
Come to the Parque de las Palapas and the area around the Convention Center for live performances from the best jazz musicians in the world, during Memorial Day weekend.
International Gay Festival
Enjoy food, music, mariachi bands, a cruise of the Caribbean, assorted parties and a final champagne breakfast, during a weekend in May.
June
Caribbean Hotel International Congress
During the last week of June the annual meeting of Caribbean hotel proprietors, part of which is open to the public, brings with it an exposition of various foods and services offered throughout the area.
July
Feast of Our Lady of Carmen
The port town of Ciudad del Carmen hosts an annual regional fair which includes bullfighting and livestock exhibitions, sporting events, plenty of food, drinking and dancing, in mid-July.
August
Xel-Ha
August is the perfect month in which to visit the Xel-Ha tropical water park, where you can explore the forest and waterscapes of the Yucatan Peninsula.
September
Independence Day
In the middle of September, Cancun residents celebrate the liberation of Mexico by Padre Miguel Hidalgo, on El Grito, or the “Shout” Day, with festivities all over the downtown and Isla de Mujeres areas.
Autumnal Equinox
Take a side trip to the famous Mayan pyramid of Chichen Itza, and marvel at the famous sunset optical illusion when shadows zig zag their way to the stone carving of the serpent Kukulkan, around the third week of September.
October
Mexican Caribbean Travel Mart
During the first week in October, the Cancun Travel Agent Association and the Cancun Hotel Association hold their annual convention, part of which is open to the public, and showcase food and services offered in the area.
Eve of All Souls Day
Residents bring flowers and candles to the graves of loved ones on the eve of October 31, all over the Yucatan Peninsula.
November
All Souls Day; Day of the Dead
Throughout the Yucatan Peninsula, families enjoy a traditional meal at the graves of loved ones, and various festivals are held in the area, during the first two days in November.
Movie Festival
Enjoy an international gathering of cinema enthusiasts and screenings of the world’s best independent new films, during the month of November.
World Cup Triathlon
Watch international contestants compete in swimming, running and biking events at Langosta Beach, during the first week in November.
Anniversary of the Mexican Revolution
Celebrate the Mexican Revolution of 1910 with parades, speeches and ceremonies, on November 20.
December
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Christmas Holiday
Starting nine days before Christmas and concluding after the New Year, a period called the “posada,” or procession, the residents celebrate the season with a variety of street fairs, piñata breaking, and passion plays called “pastorelas,” and a feast in honor of the Virgen de la Soledad.