Thursday evening, 16 May, Olas Altas was transformed into a unique urban art scene, with laser lights, hip-hop dancers, flame jugglers and hula hoopers gyrating to the pulsating rhythms of techno music. The main event was an open-air fashion show with a runway that ran the entire length of Olas Altas from Puerto Viejo to the Shrimp Bucket! Click on any photo to enlarge it or view a slideshow.
The “Street Art Fashion Show” was a sight unlike anything Mazatlán has ever seen! Our traditional, iconic Hotel Belmar and La Fonda de Chalio glowed hip and happening as clients rejoiced at their free view of the 450 peso fundraising event. The aim of the evening was to raise money for DIF Mazatlán’s “Corazón Eterno,” an assistance home for elderly adults who have been abandoned by their families. Fashion designer Edgar Ponce originated the idea and brought it to fruition with the help of the municipality, local celebrities, fashionistas, chefs and altruists.
The event opened with a two-hour cocktail during sunset, with ceviches and other canapés provided by Agatha and Vittore restaurants. Golden hour glowed as waiters served both drinks and eats to those attending, who were seated on couches, easy chairs, bar-style tables and picnic-style tables along the malecón. The paparazzi had a field day following Mayor Luis Guillermo Benítez Torres; the President of DIF Mazatlán, Gabriela Peña Chico; Roberto Rodríguez Lizárraga, director general of DIF Mazatlán; and Marsol Quiñonez, new director of Cultura Mazatlán.
Promptly at 9:00 pm access was opened to the chair-lined runway area in the street—nearly everyone was able to have a front row seat! María Daniela and her Laser Sound—electronic dance music by DJ Emilio Acevedo and singer María Daniela Azpiazu—made a special appearance. Daniela appeared high up on the stage in front of Puerto Viejo, while Emilio worked his magic just beneath her. The models entered the runway from street level beneath both of them. Each model seemed to take to the runway several times, modeling at least two different outfits and showing them to us a couple of times each.
Over seventy of Ponce’s designs were showcased; runway models included Perla Beltrán—Nuestra Belleza México and Miss Mundo Top Model, and Aranza Molina, Reina Hispanoamericana 2018. The Queens of Carnaval and the Floral Games 2019, Karla Rivas y Yamileth Zataráin, were also present. The models first came out wearing sunglasses and huge smiles in bright red lipstick. As they changed the hip-hop dancers performed on the runway, before a second round of clothing was modeled.
Highlights of the show were a joyous young lady in a wheelchair and a beautiful young woman with Downs’ Syndrome, girlfriend of the young man sitting next to me. Amidst the evening’s thin and fair-skinned models, the public was overjoyed to welcome a bit of reality to the catwalk. While I don’t know Edgar, my guess is this may be his first major fashion event, though I was told he’s designed Carnaval gowns. We enjoyed his designs, and it was a terrific event; this guy has a future!
The Street Fashion Show generated 200,000 pesos for the aged care facility, and concluded with a fireworks show after Edgar walked the runway. I would estimate that about 500 people attended the event. There was room for many, many more; nearly a third of the seats remained empty, as the event sadly seemed quite poorly publicized.
Last Friday night after the opera, my friend and I were walking around the Machado. We meet a 23 year old Aztecan named Manuel, who told us he moved to Mazatlán two years ago from the interior of the country because he wanted to live on the beach. He said he loves it here, but misses home.
His totem or spirit animal is the jaguar, and he was gifted the skull and pelt of a baby jaguar when he was younger. Apparently that little baby killed a few cows, and the farmer then killed him. Manuel wears the taxidermied piece as a headdress, along with extensive feathers and beadwork that he makes, and often sells, to make a living. He and his friend Ignacio perform on the Plazuela Machado most weekend evenings, Manuel told me. Click on any photo to enlarge it or view a slideshow.
Nacho, Manuel’s friend, is only 19. Manuel dances and Nacho plays the drum. Manuel tells me that his father taught him to dance the traditional way as soon as he learned to walk, and he’s been dancing ever since. He jumps, spins, and uses fire in a pottery incense burner. He tells me there are dances he can perform in public, and those he can not as they are private to the community. He speaks a bit of Nahuatl, but not as much as he’d like.
Welcome to Mazatlán belatedly, Manuel and Ignacio. Obviously I need to get out more often, lol, as it’s the first time I’ve met you. I very much enjoyed meeting you both, and your performance. Thank you for sharing a bit of your culture. I hope to see you both again soon and learn more.
How in the world could we possibly top last year’s amazing Carnavál? The theme in 2013 was the movies. Everyone loves a good picture show, and last year’s parade most definitely made the most of that love! I figured there was no way anyone could top last year, so I was mentally prepared not to be sent over the moon by this year’s parade. NOT! Both 2014 Carnavál parades were incredible! The 34 floats, 23 dance troupes and 16 musical groups made for an absolutely fantastic nearly four hour event!
I love that we have two parades. For us, living here on the north end of the malecón, the first parade is an evening into night affair, making for a tremendous street party. The floats in the parade are all aglow, and the dancers are in party mode, grabbing us from our seats and cena on the curb to join in the merriment with them. The second parade, on Tuesday, has the floats lining up in front of our house from just after noon, ready for picture taking in the full light of day. The dancers and royalty come out about an hour before the parade, and it’s the most incredible photo opportunity of the entire year—dancers putting makeup on each other or rehearsing dance steps, bands warming up their instruments and tunes, people stretching, eating, laughing. I absolutely love both these events.
To me the very best thing about Carnavál Internacional de Mazatlán is that it’s a family affair. Nearly every family in town has a member who’s been Carnavál royalty, even if it’s a cousin or aunt, and nearly every Patasalada has danced in Carnavál at some point in his or her life. Royalty celebrate their silver and golden anniversaries, and what a joy it is to see them relive the original thrill, often accompanied by their children! Young children and grandparents dance in the parade, even though it’s such a long route. Several years ago I had a good friend from Mexico City who just hated Carnavál. She thought it was low class and tacky. What she hated most were what she called the beauty contests—that young people were taught to value superficial beauty rather than brains or talent. While I tend to agree with her about beauty contests in general, and I am very much saddened by the shadow cast over the voting for Queen of Carnavál the past few years and hopeful the process will become more transparent, the fact is that Carnavál is a festival of the people. It is much, much, MUCH more than a beauty pageant, involving literature, poetry and painting competitions, concerts galore, fireworks, a food festival, bullfight, several “manifestations” or pre-Carnavál energy-building events, the pomp and circumstance of the coronations, the parades and, of course, the huge street party in Olas Altas for six nights straight. Mazatlán has over a month’s worth of Carnavál-related events, and there’s enough variety to please everyone. Click on any photo below to enlarge it or view a slideshow.
Royal float
Young princesses
And Grandma Queens
Everyone’s royalty at Carnavál
King of Joy Adolfo Blanco
Floral Games float
DIF Queens from the different colonies of Mazatlán
Young royalty
Pretty in pink
Queen of Carnavál float
Floral Games float
Kids rule at the parade. Most of the dancers and musicians are teenagers, children or young adults, joining their friends from dance class, gymnastics, or school. They’ve worked for months to raise money for costumes and props, and have rehearsed their hearts out. They are eager to burst with joy and energy during that first parade. Then, by the second parade on Tuesday, they transform into relaxed, experienced parade marchers, more confident of themselves and the crowd around them.
Masked youth
Pierrot
Acrobats
Fairies
Growing into their bodies
Fun with friends
Hanging out
Helping with makeup
Hi!
Ready to play!
Can I get on the horse?
Vamping for the camera
REady to roll!
Eye makeup and false eyelashes
Lining up
Resting and readying
Ready to go
Smiles of joy
Clowning around
Miming
Samba man
And another samba man
Kisses!
Smiling after all that dancing!
Venetian masks
Venetian Carnavál
In Palazzo Ducale
Who are they? 😉
Hello!!!
A royal wave
Having fun
Ready for the ball
Japanese comparsa
Viva Japan-Mexico!
Africa was represented
Truck driver brings his daughter
The pre-parade sponsors
Cutie patootie
Shouts of joy
Amazon was represented
Gymnastics and hip hop dancing
Gorgeous young people
The other star of the parades is the setting—the route goes along the malecón, south to north on Sunday, then north to south on Tuesday, with a clear view out to the ocean and the islands of our bay, the glittering lights of downtown, and the changing colored lights of Valentino’s on the northern end.
Sunset over the parade route
Helicopter patroling for safety
Floats ready to go for the second parade
Sunset over the parade route
Sunset over the parade route
Sunset over the parade route
Sunset over the parade route
Monigote and the crowd
Floats ready to go for the second parade
Candy! Candy!
So, what made 2014 stand out for me? The most notable difference for me was the crowds! Usually people set out their chairs the night before the big day, but this year was unreal. There were solid chairs from one end of the parade route to the other, and it was reported that over 800,000 people—twice the population of the city—turned out to watch the first parade! We had three families that did not join our party because they couldn’t get through the crowd to get to us! It was a-m-a-z-i-n-g! The mayor tested out a bleacher system which seemed very popular with those wanting a seat at the last minute, but that met with huge pushback from those opposed to selling seats along the malecón. While I’d love to see seats and space continue to be free of charge, something obviously has to give if the crowds keep growing like they are. I’m sure we had many more spectators this year who joined us from Durango, Zacatecas and beyond, thanks to the new highway.
Last year you’ll remember that CULTURA invited a special group from Brazil to join us. They were scantily clad and a huge hit. I believe that is perhaps what influenced another change that we noticed this year: much sexier costumes, and many more scantily clad dancers. Several of the floats had hired models dancing on them, fortunately including scantily clad men as well as women, so everyone could enjoy. I noticed quite a few of the kids’ dance groups had sexier-than-usual garb, also. Perhaps that was in keeping with this year’s theme, Piel del Mar or “Skin of the Sea.”
My personal favorite float this year was the Venetian float that Francisco Igartúa made for Marcela I, Queen of the Floral Games. It transported all of us to the Palazzo Ducale, complete with a couple of gondola rides, and beautifully honored the style that Maestro Rigo Lewis established for royal carriages of Carnavál these past 50 years.
Gondolas of Venice on the malecón
Floral Games float
Floral Games float
Palazzo Ducale
Palazzo Ducale
Palazzo Ducale
Queen Lorena’s float was also incredible, representing Rio. It was begun by Maestro Rigo himself, and finished up by his family after his death. Suzset, the Child Queen’s float was also made by Maestro Rigo and the Lewis family, representing New Orleans. Maestro Jorge González Neri had a huge hit with the King of Joy, Adolfo Blanco’s, exuberant and colorful Cuban float. You can definitely see the different styles of the floats’ creators!
Royal float
Queen Lorena I
Queen of Carnavál float
Queen of Carnavál float
Queen Suzset
Queen Suzset’s float
Queen Suzset’s float
King of Joy Adolfo Blanco
King of Joy float
There were so many terrific floats, and also the LED-lit cars that we’ve grown to love these past few years. At least four continents were represented this year: the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. It was all definitely a feast for the senses!
Here are a few final pics of some of the dancers in this year’s parade. I hope you enjoyed it all as much as we did!
The past couple of year’s I’ve put together a video of Carnavál. This year, Mahatma Millan has already put together such a terrific one, that I figured I don’t need to bother. Let me share with you his terrific work:
Today is Ash Wednesday; Lent begins. Time to rest, reflect and recenter, after the exuberance and sleep deprival of the past week! Please, share with us your favorite part of Carnavál, in the comments below.
¡VidaMaz! 