Chapala is bracing for its own brand of Mardi Gras madness as hoards of revelers let down their hair for 12 straight days of Carnaval festivities commencing next weekend.
The town’s rowdiest annual celebration kicks off Friday, February 21 with a rollicking after-dark parade through the center of town segueing into the opening party at the Carnaval 2014 nucleus inside La Cristiania Park.
The parade route runs from the north end of Avenida Madero, snaking along the main thoroughfare and Paseo Ramon Corona to the gates of the park. The announced starting time is 7 p.m., but a delay of one hour or more can be expected.At the fairgrounds, Carnaval’s madcap Rey Feo (ugly king) will take up his scepter to preside over the Entierro del Mal Humor (burial of ill-temper) represented by a cardboard coffin obliterated in a blaze of noisy firecrackers.
The annual Farewell to Flesh blowout picks up again on Saturday, continuing at a frenzied pace through Tuesday, March 4.
The park will remain abuzz from mid-afternoon until the wee hours, as crowds wander the commercial zone offering assorted merchandise, games of chance, bar service and all kinds of food. Elsewhere on the premises they’ll find mechanical rides, the horse exhibition area and the Villa Animal with wild bird and reptile shows and a miniature golf course to keep kids busy.
The main attraction for many folks is the steady string of nighttime music and dance events. Chapala residents with an aversion to high-decibel noise would be wise to stock up on earplugs or book an out-of-town vacation.
(Look for additional Carnaval details in next week’s Reporter.)