King and Queen candidates.

The heat is on in the battle to become this year's Cozumel Carnival King and Queen. The 6 candidates were presented to an audience of more than 5,000 people at a multi-color music and dance extravaganza in the island's Moby Dick hall on Saturday night.

The aspiring Carnival royals, Zaida Elimar Espinosa Hernández, Rodhe Tejeda Novelo, Fernando González Santana, Gerandily Gutiérrez Poot and José Morejón Vázquez, all showed off their costumes as part of their bid to be elected.

Each costume was a closely guarded secret until Saturday night, when they were unveiled to thunderous applause, shouts and whistles from the excited audience. Following the grown-ups' presentation the 4 Children's King and Queen candidates stepped out into the limelight.

Colorful campaign billboards.

Astrid León Torres, José Oropeza León, Jazmín Cardoso Salgado and David Rosado Alcalá, are all vying to be crowned this year, in a competition which is taken every bit as seriously as the adult version.

The King and Queen candidates will continue with their election campaigns this week, before the final performances and voting takes place on Saturday, at what is sure to be another rapturous event at the Moby Dick hall.

For more information and the full program of events visit our Cozumel Carnival section, or take a look at our Cozumel Carnival photos on Facebook.