Mazatenango Carnival has a date rule, rather than a fixed day in the civil calendar. The Ministry of Culture and Sports says its date “es variable, ya que depende del calendario religioso” [varies because it depends on the religious calendar] and that it “se celebra el martes anterior al Miércoles de Ceniza” [is celebrated on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday] (Sistema de Información Cultural). That rule describes the tradition; an edition’s programme still needs confirmation.
The 2026 carnival was cancelled. In its cancellation notice, the Municipalidad de Mazatenango cited national insecurity, violent incidents and attacks on Policía Nacional Civil officers linked to organized crime. It said conditions did not permit a safe event. The notice kept the La Arrolladora Banda El Limón concert scheduled as an independent activity, with organization and security solely the event producer’s responsibility; it did not confirm that the concert subsequently took place.
Quick summary: Mazatenango’s traditional carnival, in the departmental capital of Suchitepéquez, lasts a week and marks the beginning of Lent. The Desfile de las Comparsas (dance-group parade) traditionally takes place on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, with a nighttime parade closing the celebrations the following Saturday. Other activities include float, horse, children’s and carnival queens’ parades and the Carrera de los Barrios. The carnival was established in 1885. The 2026 edition was cancelled.
Quick facts
| Date rule | The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Culture and Sports |
| Traditional closing | The following Saturday, with a nighttime parade |
| Duration | A week; AGN described eight days of celebrations in 2023 |
| Tuesday parade | Desfile de las Comparsas |
| Established | July 8, 1885, according to the Ministry of Culture |
| Where | Mazatenango, departmental capital of Suchitepéquez |
| 2026 edition | Cancelled by the municipality |
How the date rule applies to 2027
The Ministry’s rule ties carnival Tuesday to Ash Wednesday and describes the closing parade as taking place the following Saturday. It does not establish an edition’s starting day or announce its programme.
The historical sources describe these earlier editions:
| Year | Carnival Tuesday | Published window or status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | — | February 22–29 | Prensa Libre, February 9, 2020 |
| 2023 | February 21 | Eight days, ending with a Saturday nighttime parade | Agencia Guatemalteca de Noticias, February 21, 2023 |
| 2026 | — | Cancelled | Municipalidad de Mazatenango |
The 2023 programme illustrates the sequence of activities. It does not set the dates of a future edition.
What the week includes
The Ministry of Culture describes a week of parades and traditional games, citing the Municipalidad de Mazatenango as the source of its entry:
- Carrera de los Barrios, also called Carrera del Conejo (neighborhood race or rabbit race): a competition through the city’s main neighborhoods over approximately 10 kilometers.
- Desfile de carrozas (float parade), in the afternoon, with schools and educational institutions presenting decorated floats and dance groups.
- Desfile de las Comparsas, on carnival Tuesday, one of the most anticipated activities.
- Desfile hípico (horse parade), children’s parade and carnival queens’ parade, during the week.
- Nighttime parade on Saturday, marking the traditional close of the carnival.
The Ministry also records an older custom: after the comparsas parade, young people used to throw eggs and flour in the streets. Some sectors regarded those practices as vandalism, and they were subsequently prohibited.
The 2023 programme, day by day
The Agencia Guatemalteca de Noticias, Guatemala’s state news agency, reported on the carnival’s return to the streets in 2023 after two years of suspension. Its report described the Tuesday parade and the activities scheduled for the rest of the week:
| Day (2023) | Activity |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, February 21 | Comparsas parade from 9:00; an afternoon concert was scheduled at Estadio Carlos Salazar Hijo |
| Wednesday | Cultural parade, food festival and altar contest were scheduled |
| Thursday | Horse parade from 9:00 and a concurso de mamarrachos (costume contest) were scheduled |
| Friday | Military parade and parachutist display were scheduled |
| Saturday | A closing nighttime parade was scheduled |
These are the 2023 activities and times. The advance programme is not confirmation that every scheduled activity took place.
Safety and traffic: the 2020 report
Prensa Libre’s February 9, 2020 report on carnival safety and traffic included the following historical figure:
| Measure (2020) | Detail |
|---|---|
| Agents | 600 |
For a trip by car, check the traffic notice for the edition you plan to attend before parking near a parade route.
What to confirm for 2027
As of 23 October 2026, the Ministry’s carnival entry did not announce a 2027 date or programme.
Before making travel arrangements, confirm the edition’s dates, parade routes, street closures, times and any admission charges with the municipality.
Getting there
For practical information about boarding and paying, see the chicken bus guide. For the city’s context, see the Mazatenango municipal profile.
Frequently asked questions
When is it in 2027? The recurring date rule is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, with the closing parade the following Saturday. Confirm the edition’s dates with the municipality before planning your visit.
Why does the date change? It follows the religious calendar, on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.
What day is the comparsas parade? Traditionally, carnival Tuesday. In 2023, it began at 9:00.
When was it established? On July 8, 1885, according to the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
Sources
- Ministry of Culture and Sports, SiCultura: Carnaval de Mazatenango, Suchitepéquez — Recurring date rule, duration, parades, Carrera de los Barrios and establishment in 1885
- Agencia Guatemalteca de Noticias: Así se vivió el Carnaval Mazateco 2023, February 21, 2023 — Tuesday’s parade and the remaining 2023 programme
- Prensa Libre: Carnaval Mazateco: Municipalidad toma medidas para evitar violencia y desorden durante el desfile y la feria, February 9, 2020 — Historical February window, agents and 135th anniversary
- Municipalidad de Mazatenango: Cancelar el Carnaval Mazateco 2026 — 2026 cancellation and the independently organized concert exception
Related
- Suchitepéquez patron saint fairs — the department’s feria calendar
- February fairs in Guatemala — the month’s festivities
- Holy Week in Guatemala — the religious celebrations that follow Ash Wednesday
- Mazatenango — municipal profile
- Today’s fairs (Spanish) — the current feria calendar
