Join the Fun-5 Nights of Carnival Penita
Tara A. Spears
Showtime! For a small-town coastal community, Jaltemba Bay really puts on a beautiful 5 nights long Carnival. Once you see the parade, it’s time to party! Over the years, this annual event has grown and become more professional, infused with hometown pride, passion and flair. There are several parades, a beauty contests to pick a queen, games and rides for the kids, lots of live music with an attractive musical roster featuring two bands per evening. Of course, there is plentiful cold beer and street food to round out the evening.
If you missed the dancing horses on Friday evening, they will again parade through La Penita main Avenida at 1:00 Sunday so bring your camera. Carnival is a significant holiday in more than two hundred communities in Mexico. Celebrations vary widely with smaller communities often maintaining elements of religion and their indigenous heritage. The Penita Carnival is the local interpretation of Mardi Gras which is celebrated throughout the world.
In fact, Carnival is so popular, that the Carnival in Mazatlan, just north of JB, is reported to be the 3rd largest in the world after Rio De Janeiro and New Orleans. Mardi Gras has become an official Mexican holiday. Typically, Carnival is a five day celebration that takes places before Catholic lent occurs on Ash Wednesday. The holiday is very similar in nature to the New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration. Where ever carnival is celebrated there will parades, elaborate costumes and floats, and people dancing in the streets to live music.
Depending on the theme of the event, some people like to wear masks during Carnival celebrations. This aspect of carnival is said to have originated from the pagan practice as protection against evil spirits. While this is one theory, it is also thought that masks are worn as a way to participate in celebrations while maintaining a bit of anonymity.
Mardi Gras is where people give in symbolically to “carnal pleasures” through flamboyant and unrestrained celebrations. It is supposed to help people All to begin the forty days of fasting with a purified spirit. The Penita Carnival is total secular, rather like a prequel to semana santa.
In Mexico, these festivities ―usually held between February and March― have merged with indigenous Mexican traditions, bringing indeed unique and joyful festivals that vary depending on each state.
Check out the list of scheduled Carnival happenings to not miss out on your favorite. there are many activities and events that take place. Wherever the holiday is celebrated, whole towns generally participate and party not only during the day but into the night. People dress is masquerade outfits complete with masks while enjoying food, alcohol, and other drinks. People of all ages take part in the celebrations.
During the final days of Carnival, there are many different events at which awards are presented. In the evenings of the final days of celebration, Sunday is normally the when the largest organized celebration takes place. This is typically when a big float parade takes place. On Monday, there is the Day of the Oppressed Husband, and on this day husbands are given the freedom to do as they please within the confines of law and religion. By Fat Tuesday, most people are returning to work as the celebrations have wound down, and are prepared to start their fasting for Lent.
Carnivals in Mexico are a colorful celebration that has deep cultural and historical roots, merging indigenous and European influences. Come join the fun!
