Chapala’s Carnaval celebrations got off to a rip-roaring start on February 6 with the traditional opening night parade, followed by the kick-off party at the Parque Cristiania fairgrounds.
Although attendance slacked off sharply for the string of special events held throughout the past week, big crowds are expected to show up over the weekend as Mardi Gras fever rises for the party-hard finale.
Anhel Saavedra (far left) beams after earning the 2015 Reina de Carnaval crown. The monarch of the festivities and three other beauties in her royal court brought glitz and glamour to the inaugural festivities.
Fan clubs raised a ruckus cheering for the Chapala Carnaval Queen candidates.
Clown-faced stilt-walkers boosted high spirits during the opening night parade.
Carnaval revelers shake and shimmy to Latino beats.
A platoon of federal police officers drove their flashy patrol vehicles at the lead of the Friday night desfile prior to taking on crowd control duties at the fairgrounds. The friendly officers of the gendarme division have been temporarily assigned to the Chapala area to boost public security for the run of the festivities.