Mexico City (CDMX) is preparing for the second edition of the Carnival of Carnivals 2025, a traditional celebration with roots dating back to the 16th century, aiming to pay tribute to the cultural richness of the capital. This year's massive parade will involve more than 4,500 participants distributed in 74 groups, including charros, escaramuzas, chinelos, mojigangas, huehuenches, among others, coming from different boroughs of the city.
In 2024, the first edition of this monumental parade was held organized by the local Secretary of Culture, as part of the declaration of the Carnivals as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Mexico City. This declaration recognizes the importance of the carnivals in the reconstruction of the social fabric and the preservation of the city's roots, going back to indigenous and neighborhood traditions interacting with European societies of the colonial era.
The second edition of the Carnival of Carnivals 2025 is scheduled for Saturday, February 8, starting at 3:00 PM. The parade will begin at the Monument to the Revolution and head towards the main square, covering a route that includes Avenida de la República and Avenida Juárez, culminating in the Zócalo of Mexico City.
The carnival has its roots in festivals of ancient Rome and Greece that celebrated the beginning of the year in spring with satirical songs and buffoonish spectacles. These celebrations migrated to central Europe and Spain, eventually arriving in Mexico during the colonial period. Initially, the carnivals aimed to increase the fertility of the fields and the abundance of crops for the rest of the year.
Due to road closures during the parade development, motorists are advised to take alternative routes such as Insurgentes Sur, Avenida Chapultepec, Avenida H. Congreso de la Unión, Circunvalación, and Avenida Arcos de Belén.
