11 Famous Festival of Mexico You Must Experience In 2023

Festivals, cuisines, music, and celebrations are a significant part of Mexicans and their culture. Festivals are ways to remember their ancestors, honour the deceased, and have opportunities to get together. Local people and tourists congregate to enjoy world-famous music fests, art festivals, and food festivals. Also, traditional and contemporary dishes, desserts, and beverages are must-haves for fiestas in Mexico.

From impeccably beautiful beaches and historical monuments to grand festivals, Mexico makes every day a new experience and never a dull moment. Given all the exclusive offerings, people worldwide visit Mexico in lakhs to glimpse the Mexican charm. And what could be a better way to experience Mexico at its best than its festivities?

List of 11 Famous Festivals in Mexico that Displays No One Party like Mexicans and Reasons to Join the Party

We have shortlisted the best musical, cultural, and religious festivals in Mexico that can add a lot more fun and create memories for your next vacation to Mexico. Check out dates, things to expect, and locations to take an informed decision.

Fiesta de la Candelaria | A Religious Festival for the Virgin
Festival de Mexico | 2-Week Long Cultural Festival
Festival de Internacional Cervantino | An Art Extravaganza
Morelia International Film Festival | Film Fiesta and Cultural Programs
Day of the Dead | A Colourful Tradition to Celebrate Departed Souls
Carnaval in Veracruz and Mazatlan | Biggest Carnivals of Mexico
Fiestas de Octubre | Art Shows and Alternative Rock Gigs
Machaca Music Festival | Spectacle of Music, Art and Tradition
La Morisma | Mock Battle of Christians and Moors
Fiesta de Santa Cecilia | A Homage to St. Cecilia
Rosarito Beach Festival | A Reggaeton and Latin Music Festival

1. Fiesta de la Candelaria| A Religious Festival for the Virgin

You will witness popular bullfights and parades in the State of Veracruz. The festival includes friends and family get together while feasting on traditional Mexican food like tamales. People dress up figures of Christ as a Child and take them to Church for blessings.

When: 2nd February 2024
Location: Across Mexico

2. Festival de Mexico| 2-Week Long Cultural Festival

Festival de Mexico includes national and international level events across 50 venues in the Capital city, including dance, music, theatre, and opera. You can visit Mexico City to experience the spectacular festival mainly organised at the Historic centre Downtown. The festival is for two weeks.

When: March/April 2024
Location: Mexico City

3. Festival de Internacional Cervantino| An Art Extravaganza

FIC 2023 will have USA and Sonora as guests of honour. It is among the best fiestas in Mexico, with a lineup of outstanding events and performances to honour Spanish novelist Miguel Cervantes. This biggest cultural festival in Latin America receives more than two-thousand artists from over thirty countries. Therefore, you can expect world-class performances in diverse disciplines, including music, opera, theatre, dance and more.

When: 11th October 2023 to 29th October 2023
Location: Guanajuato

4. Morelia International Film Festival| Film Fiesta and Cultural Programs

The sixteenth edition of the Morelia International Film Festival will hold in a hybrid model (online and in-person). You can watch screenings of selected short films during the festival week and enjoy cultural programs.

When: 6th to 9th June 2023
Location: Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico

5. Day of the Dead | A Colourful Tradition to Celebrate Departed Souls

Dia de los Muertos is a prominent festival in Mexico with cultural and historical significance. You can expect feasting with friends and family of the deceased, building home altars, and making dishes and gifts in honour of the dead. The day is a celebration of those who departed.

UNESCO included this cultural fiesta in the list of “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” in the year 2008. Earlier, this ‘indigenous festivity dedicated to the dead’ was restricted mainly to the rural and tribal areas. It became popular post-1980s and spread towards cities.

When: 1st and 2nd November 2023
Location: Across Mexico

6. Carnaval in Veracruz and Mazatlan| Biggest Carnivals of Mexico

Carnivals in Veracruz and Mazatlan are Mexico's biggest public celebrations of modern times. Mazatlan Carnival is a 6-day event. It includes 2 big parades to the Malecon, a huge fireworks show, a big party at Olas Altas, and a grand coronation show at Teodoro Mariscal Baseball Stadium. For beer lovers, you can enjoy unlimited Pacifico beer.

Veracruz Carnival will celebrate its 99th edition in an upcoming 9-day festival in Mexico. It is considered the best carnival in Mexico and a must-visit for anyone who wants to witness an extravagant display of colours, art, parades, and more. Book your tickets now for the first-hand experience. Highlights of the carnival are ‘Burning of the Bad Mood,’ parades, huge parties, dances, creative, funny and colourful costumes, and much more.

When:

Mazatlan carnival was held from 16th to 21st February 2023
Veracruz carnival will hold from 29th June to 5th July 2023
Location: Mazatlan Carnival at Sinaloa and Veracruz Carnival at Heroica Veracruz, Centro