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The biggest and brightest celebration of the year in the cities of the Yucatán. In Cancún and Cozumel the streets fill with music, dancing, food stands, and a little Río-style parading. The biggest Carnival in southern Mexico, though, is in Mérida.

The capital of Yucatán’s cattle country hosts one of the region’s biggest fiestas. It features a stock fair as well as bullfights, traditional music, dancing, colorful parades, and plenty of eating and drinking.

Valladolid’s main fiesta, the Expo-Feria, centers around the Feast of the Virgin of La Candelaria. Local girls show off dazzling embroidered dresses in the opening parade, followed by free concerts and shows, and dancing. Campeche has a smaller celebration.

The visual effects integral to these Mayan cities – such as the “descent” of the sun down the serpents on El Castillo at Chichén and the striking of the rising sun through the Seven Dolls temple at Dzibilchaltún – were timed to happen on the spring and fall equinoxes. Today, over 80,000 people visit Chichén for the day; crowds are smaller at Dzibilchaltún & (see Chichén Itzá.

Mérida hosts a free fiesta every week, “Mérida on Sunday,” when the Plaza Mayor and Calle 60 are closed to traffic to make way for strolling crowds and a range of events. There are displays of jarana dancing in front of the City Hall and concerts up and down the street, and anyone can dance, too.

Every village and town in the Yucatán also has its own fiesta, when the streets are covered in bright garlands, work ceases, and music is heard non-stop. To find out when any are due, ask in tourist offices, look out for posters, or check local papers.

An innovative mix of young performers from Latin America, the U.S., and Europe – often playing Latin Jazz and contemporary fusion rather than strict jazz – features in this festival. Several acts play for free in Parque de las Palapas in Ciudad Cancún.

Cozumel’s most important traditional fiesta is in honor of the island’s patron saint, St. Michael. For nine days preceding his day, there are religious processions, kids’ entertainment, and free music and dancing.

More solemnly religious than most fiestas, with processions culminating on October 13, when the figure of “Christ of the Blisters” (Cristo de las Ampollas ), kept in Mérida Cathedral, is carried through the city before a ceremonial Mass.

Sugar skulls, dead bread (pan de muerto ), zempazuchitl fowers, and coffin-shaped decorations are the mark of Mexico’s most famous celebration, when people party to celebrate the dead on Halloween and All Saints’ Day (Todos Santos ), and families visit cemeteries to picnic by the graves of their own departed relatives.