2023 turned out to be a huge year for Carnaval in Yucatán.
But with more cities and towns throwing their own festivities, Mérida’s Carnaval at the remote Xmatkuil fairgrounds is no longer the undisputed champion.
One of the biggest Carnaval upstarts is Progreso which, although not exactly new on the scene, has really upped its game with bigger and better parades, and huge concerts, with the advantage of a beach setting.
Aside from the beautiful setting, one of the reasons many folks are beginning to flock to Progreso’s Carnaval has to do with accessibility. For starters, the Mérida-Progreso highway is more than adequate, and buses out to the beach are plentiful. And for those in Mérida’s growing north, Progreso is much closer than Xmatkuil.
But with the growth of Progreso’s Carnaval, its laidback atmosphere has taken a hit, especially during Sunday’s parade.
Fortunately, to enjoy the parade without having to push through thousands of people, there is always Tuesday’s traditional “Paseo de las Flores,” which tends to kick off around noon.
The one major downside of Tuesday’s parade is the heat, and smart attendees brought along an umbrella and sunblock and drank plenty of water or coconut juice.
As is tradition, most of the floats threw candies, t-shirts, and hats to the roaring crowd. But unlike a generation ago, no cigarettes.
As is the case for carnavales in general, several of the floats featured young men and women in elaborate costumes featuring bright colors, enormous headdresses, and loads of feathers.
The LGBTQ+ community has long been a big part of Carnaval celebrations in Yucatán, and this year was no exception.
Both local and international brands had a strong presence at the parade, though some global brands’ participation felt uninspired.
Because Tuesday’s parade fell on a cruise day, more American tourists than average could be seen enjoying the parade.
This being Carnaval, a good deal of libations were consumed by attendees in some rather unorthodox costumes.
Local celebrities were also a fixture on several floats, including the well-loved comedian Ruperta Pérez Sosa.
Progreso’s Carnaval, with its parades, concerts, comedy shows, and other events, was a success and firmly cemented it as one of Yucatán’s best, if not the best overall.
Still, many in Mérida look back fondly on the days when the city Carnaval was held on Paseo de Montejo, though others just shrug and say “good riddance.”
