The 2024 Mérida Carnaval is almost upon us and given the huge growth we’ve been seeing in Mérida over the last few years, we can assume that 2024 will be huge! “¡De la Fantasía a la Innovacíon!” is the name of this year’s carnaval and I think we can all agree that the name pretty well sums up the city.

Note: Throughout this article we use the Spanish “Carnaval” and the English “Carnival” pretty much interchangeably.

So what is Carnaval?

⭐️ I’m guessing that, like me, many non-Latin Americans have only a hazy idea of what Carnaval even is, excepting mental snapshots of people dancing down the street in Rio or New Orleans. 

Well, yes, you’re sort of right, it can be lots of half-naked people getting drunk and chucking beads at each other but it’s also a whole lot of other things too.

Carnaval is an actual Catholic festival that was brought to Mexico by those pesky conquistadors from Spain in the sixteenth century. It’s popular all over Latin America and is all about getting the excesses out the system before the forty days of Lent that precede Easter. Carnaval, in fact, is Latin for ‘removal of meat’. Strict Catholics actually do give up meat during this forty-day period.

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When is Carnaval in Merida?

Celebrations begin the weekend before Lent, and as such, we’re talking moveable feast, Lent being attached to Easter, which we all know is attached to Pesach, which is also a moveable feast, seeing as how the Jewish and Christian calendars don’t match up. Got it?

No? 

You are not alone. It just means you need to wait to be told when carnaval will be celebrated. And be aware that each town and city may vary their carnaval celebrations by a few days.

The main week for the city of Mérida and all the surrounding celebrations for 2024, is February 7- February 14 so get your accommodation booked sharpish and come join the fun! Mérida is expecting you. 

I am not a crowds person and the idea of actively going to see a different parade every day was never on the books. However, I read that in the 19th Century, huge carnaval balls were held and people dressed up to party. That is something I would have enjoyed. Sadly since I’ve not seen anything like that, I’m really looking forward to the last day, Carnival Tuesday. (you may have heard it called Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, or even Shrove Tuesday).

Top Tip/Brilliant Idea – Shrove Tuesday is, to British people, called Pancake Day, which seems like the perfect day to eat a famous Yucatecan marquestia.

What to Expect from Carnaval in Merida

⭐️ Many people don’t realise that Carnaval is even a Mexican thing but let me assure you, it really is and there are some great places to see it celebrated around the country. Merida, as a more socially conservative city, is a great place to begin your introduction to Carnaval before working your way up to some of the bigger Carnaval locations such as Mazatlan and Veracruz.

When I first visited Merida, the carnaval took place in the centre of the city. My kids were little at the time but they loved all these days of celebrations, watching the all the different parades, with kids in costumes, the highlight being those who were tossing candies into the crowd. Though we never dressed up, catching candies and participating in children’s games made them feel part of the celebrations. We never made it to the famous battle of the flowers, where instead of throwing beads or candies, people throw flowers at each other. I do reckon that is a sight to see and might just persuade me venture out this for this particular event.

As the city has grown over the last decade, local businesses and residents got fed up with the noise and over crowding so the city government moved it just outside of town to its own location in Plaza Carnaval (also known as the ciudad carnaval) – Xmatkuil in the south of Mérida.

📍 There are generally still some events that take place in the city center so keep an eye out for parades that take along Paseo de Montejo and on Plaza Grande. The coronation of children and children’s parade, for example, generally take place in Mérida city. 

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Carnaval In Merida: Programme Of Events

The best way to know what’s going on is to check out the official Carnaval page for the list of events. They will constantly be updating the schedules and adding in details, we’ll update here as we can too. 

​Details as Announced

27 Jan – Coronación de Reyes Discapacidad Intelectual, Discapacidad Motriz and de Persona Mayor

30 Jan – Cosplay Competition – A Tsunami de Comic Con 11 am – 8 pm Pabellon de Carnaval

3 Feb – Coronación de Reyes Carnaval 2024

7 Feb – Quema de Mal Humor (Burning of the bad humors)

10 Feb – Concert by Matute at the Ciudad Carnaval

11 Feb – Concert by Haash at the Ciudad Carnaval

13 Feb – Concert by Nicky Jam at the Ciudad Carnaval

Desfiles – Parade Information

(assume at the Ciudad Carnaval unless told otherwise)

Viernes de Corso (Parade Friday)

Sábado de Fantasía (Fantasy Parade)

Domingo de Bachata

Lunes Regional (Regional Parade)

Martes de Batalla de Flores (Battle of the Flowers)

Getting To Mérida’s Carnaval Events 

🚌 Now that the carnival is outside of the city, the government puts on free shuttle buses to run people to and from the grounds. 
Last year there were three main pick-up points in the centre of town:

1. Centro (calle 69 entre 60 y 58)
2. Plaza Canek (Av. Jacinto Canek)
3. Plaza Patio Merida (ruta oriente)

They also ran a women and children’s bus. For more detail on these routes please check the official Carnaval page. (They haven’t updated the information yet but are sure to do it as the event nears)

Other Carnavals in the Yucatan Peninsula

The carnivals are organized by a local committee and even small towns have their own. Consider checking out the following locations for different carnaval experiences:

Activities in Yucátan

If you’re coming to Mérida for carnaval don’t forget to explore the city and the region while you’re here. There’s so much going on

➡️ Check out the Maya ruins in Yucatan

➡️ Visit cenotes

➡️ Explore Yucatán gorgeous beaches

➡️ Plan a road trip around Yucatán (or even an “off-the-beaten path” road trip)

➡️ Visit the pueblos magicos

➡️ Explore Mérida and all its incredible museums

❓ Are you wondering whether to visit Mérida or Valladolid on your trip around Yucatán?

📌 Learn more about the Maya Train route

For Families Visiting Mérida and Yucatán

Don’t forget, of course, that I wrote the definitive guide book to exploring Yucátan with Kids.

➡️ Mérida for kids

➡️ Visiting Cenotes with kids