Carnaval de Mazatlan

In its ancient form, the Mazatlan Carnival was a pre-Lenten celebration and dates back to the early days when the area was populated by Spaniards. Since then it has become a family celebration and the largest celebration in the port of Sinaloa.

In 1898, the carnival went from being a celebration carried out spontaneously by the inhabitants of the port to being a party governed by a civil committee, a "Junta", created for this purpose. This feature makes it the oldest carnival in the country of those organized in this way.

On Tuesday, February 22, 1898, the first procession of decorated carts and bicycles in this history made its way through the crowd swirling in the streets of the Machado square. To introduce a farcical air to the celebration, Gerardo de la Vega was anointed king of madness and a contest was held among the decorated vehicles that paraded. This was the first carnival organized by a committee. The flour game came to an end and the modern tradition of confetti and streamers in the Mazatlan carnival began.