Cozumel Events and Public Holidays
Mexican National Holidays and local Cozumel events calendar.
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Mexicans remember national heritage and the meaning of the red, white and green bandera every year, on February 24th. The celebration marks the victory of Mexicans in the War of Independence against the Spanish, a struggle that lasted 11 years. |
 The Mexican flag. |
The dates for Cozumel Carnival 2026 won't be confirmed until later in 2025, but it is likely the biggest celebrations and parades will be on the nights of Saturday, February 14; Sunday, February 15 and Fat Tuesday, February 17, 2026. It's the 152nd Cozumel Carnival. Expect it to be a cracker!
The island's spectacular annual Mardis Gras has over 150 years of history and is held around February or March every year, although the exact dates vary.
In the weeks before the main events there is also an exciting program of "pre-Carnival" warm-up events, including the presentation and election of Carnival Kings and Queens, with dancing, performances, and live music from top singers and groups. See the full Cozumel Carnival official program for 2025 below and check out the official 2025 poster here.
'Fat Tuesday' concludes events every year with dazzling technicolor processions along Cozumel's downtown oceanfront. Costumed revellers battle in dancing competitions and bands play live music around the city.
People line the street, dancing with the performers and catching gifts that are showered on them. After the oceanfront extravaganza, the music keeps playing and parties continue well into the night.
Then, on the Wednesday after Fat Tuesday, the closing ceremony is held with the traditional burning of Juan Carnaval.
We will publish the Cozumel Carnival 2026 program here as soon as it is available, but in the meantime you can get an idea by taking a look at the last Carnival program below.
Cozumel Carnival Program 2025
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Wed, Feb 26 |
Grand Opening and Coronation of Carnival Kings and Queens. 7:30pm, Moby Dick Events Center, 65th Ave |
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Thu, Feb 27 |
Group Competitions - Infants. Presentation of the Special King and Queen. 6pm, Moby Dick Events Center, 65th Ave |
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Fri, Feb 28 |
Costume Competitions - Kindergarden, Infants and Pets. 10am, Moby Dick Events Center, 65th Ave |
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Group Competitions - Youth and Open Categories. 10pm, Moby Dick Events Center, 65th Ave |
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Sat, Mar 1 |
First Grand Carnival Parade. 6pm, Oceanfront Downtown *FREE* |
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Live music from Doble V 9pm, Downtown Plaza - Parque Benito Juarez *FREE* |
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Masked Ball 10pm, Moby Dick Events Center, 65th Ave |
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Sun, Mar 2 |
Second Grand Carnival Parade. 6pm, Oceanfront Downtown *FREE* |
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Live music from Grupo Picante. 9pm, Downtown Plaza - Parque Benito Juarez *FREE* |
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Tropical Night. 10pm, Moby Dick Events Center, 65th Ave |
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Live music from Junior Klan. 11pm, Downtown Plaza - Parque Benito Juarez *FREE* |
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Mon, Mar 3 |
Ceviche Festival 2pm, Downtown Plaza - Parque Benito Juarez |
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Paint and Run Race. 4pm, Downtown Plaza - Parque Benito Juarez |
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Liberarios Show. 7.30pm, Downtown Plaza - Parque Benito Juarez *FREE* |
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Grand Ball. Live music from Gillharry 7 Band. 11.30pm, Downtown Plaza - Parque Benito Juarez *FREE* |
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Tue, Mar 4 |
FAT TUESDAY - Final Grand Carnival Parade. 6pm, Oceanfront Downtown *FREE* |
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Grand Finale Concert. Live music from Tudors and La Casetera *FREE* After the parade, Parque Andres Q. Roo (City Hall) |
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Wed, Mar 5 |
Awards Ceremony and Traditional Burning of Juan Carnaval 7.30pm, Downtown Plaza - Parque Benito Juarez *FREE* |
More Cozumel Carnival News and Photos
Carnival 2025: Dancing, Dazzle and Delight!
Carnival Explodes in Cozumel
Cozumel Celebrates Caribbean Carnival
Carnival Party Explodes In Cozumel
Counting Down to Cozumel Carnival
Cozumel Carnival 2020 Dates Set
5 Corking Cozumel Carnival Close-Ups
5 Cracking Carnival Photos To Kickoff The Party
Carnival Captivates Cozumel
New Year, New Carnival!
Cozumel Carnival Program Confirmed
Cozumel Carnival Is Coming!
Let Cozumel Carnival Begin!
Amazing Finale To Cozumel Carnival
Battle For Carnival King And Queen Begins
Cozumel Carnival, Fat Tuesday 2014, Google+ Photo Album Cozumel Carnival 2014 Dates Set
Cozumel Carnival, Fat Tuesday 2013, Facebook Photo Album
Spectacular Climax To Cozumel Carnival 2013
Cozumel Carnival Countdown Begins
Amazing End To Cozumel Carnival
Cozumel Carnival Kicks Off!
Cozumel Carnival, Fat Tuesday 2012, Facebook Photo Album
Paulina Rubio performing at Cozumel Carnival, Facebook Photo Album
Cozumel Carnival Countdown Begins
Glittering Grand Finale To Carnival
Who Will Be Carnival King And Queen?
Cozumel Carnival 2011 Program Confirmed
Carnival 2011 Dates Confirmed
Massive Cozumel Carnival Party
Take Part In Cozumel Carnival 2010!
Cozumel Carnival Fever Is Back!
Spectacular Carnival Finale.
Carnival King and Queen Elected.
Pop Diva Opens Cozumel Carnival.
Carnival Fever Begins.
Fantastic Fat Tuesday.
Carnival Coronation 2008.
Cozumel Carnival King and Queen.
Carnival 2008 Program Announced.
Carnival 2008 Dates Confirmed.
130 Years Of Carnival History.
Mayor's 2007 Carnival Message.
Emotional Carnival 2007 Closing Night.
Dancing For A Carnival Dream.
First Carnival 2007 Parade.
Carnival Crazy Cozumel 2007!
Get Ready for Cozumel Carnival 2007.
This important date - when the length of day is exactly equal to night - is of historical religious importance to the Mayans and other historic American cultures.
It is famously celebrated at Chichen Itza Mayan ruins on the mainland, where the alignment of the sun causes a shadow in the form of a serpent to appear on the steps of the main pyramid. Add a comment
This annual event — with the full name the Festival of El Cedral and the Fiestas of Santa Cruz — was cancelled in 2021 but is expected to be back bigger and better in 2022.
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Mexicans remember the Battle of Puebla every year on May 5th. The 5 de Mayo marks the defeat of the French army in the Mexican city of Puebla in 1862. Celebrated widely by Mexicans in the United States, the day is not an obligatory federal holiday in Mexico, but voluntary. |
The 'Sacred Mayan Crossings' take place in May or June each year. In 2021 it has been cancelled due to the pandemic, but the dates for 2022 will be announced later this year.
Hundreds of oarsmen and women in Mayan canoes, paddle from the mainland to Cozumel and back.
The 2 day event recreates ancient ritual pilgrimages undertaken by the original inhabitants of Yucatán to Polé (Xcaret) and then on by canoe to Cuzamil (Cozumel).
The celebration begins with a pilgrimage to Xcaret. All night long, guests participate in rituals and supplications to the goddess Ix Chel, as they wait for the first rays of dawn, when they send the canoes off to Cozumel.
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Mexican Independence Day remembers the Grito de Dolores or Independencia, a call for Mexicans to rebel against the Spanish, made by Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in 1810.
Hidalgo was parish priest in the town of Dolores, from where the Grito - or Cry - takes its name. It is sometimes misinterpreted as 'The Cry of Pain', a literal translation from Spanish. Add a comment
Called the Día de la Raza, or 'Day of Race', in Mexico, the holiday is commemorated by millions across Latin America and Spain.
Cristóbal Colón, better known in English as Christopher Columbus, landed on the island of Guanahani on October 12, 1492 - the date that is now remembered. Add a comment
Cozumel islanders celebrate Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, along with the rest of Mexico.
Add a commentOn November 20, 1910, Francisco I. Madero called Mexicans to arms against the dictatorship of General Porfirio Díaz Mori, who had been in power for 40 years.
The ensuing battles and struggles for power lasted some 20 years. A revolutionary period when alliances and leaders kept changing, and attempts at stable government failed. Add a comment
The world-famous athletic competition, Ironman, is planned for the fourteenth year running in Cozumel on Sunday, November 19, 2023.
Add a commentThousands of people join processions in Cozumel for this event, as they celebrate one of Mexico's largest religious events.
The pilgrims honor Our Lady of Guadalupe, an icon of the Catholic Virgin Mary who is said to have appeared near Mexico City over 470 years ago.
Add a commentVisitors arriving to Cozumel in the run up for Christmas have the chance to learn about two local seasonal traditions. In true Christmas spirit, islanders celebrate with 9 nights of songs, called Las Posadas, while children recite their own carols and carry decorated branches, in a similar custom known as cantando la rama. Las Posadas, or "the lodgings", is the name given to the 9 nights from December 16 to 24, when the biblical journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem is marked. |
