Cozumel Carnaval Parades Accessibility

Finally, the days of Carnaval parades in Cozumel have arrived. They are similar, and yet each day seems to top the last. The last night is definitely the largest. There can be a lot to keep up with, so make sure you check the official website of Cozumel’s Carnaval celebration. So, are the Cozumel Carnaval parades accessible? Yep! They sure are. I tried my best to capture the spirit of the parade nights in these photos because this is one of my favorite accessible ways to enjoy Carnaval in Cozumel!

Three women dressed in similar dresses and matching white knee high socks with black shoes. They are wearing bright long hair wigs and exaggerated eye makeup. One dress is hot pink, another is lime green and the final one is light blue. They pose arm in arm on the street before one of the Cozumel Carnaval parades begin.

Spectators gathered along the Cozumel Carnaval parade route before the event begins. A teen girl, Anna, sits up on the sidewalk in her wheelchair for an accessible view of the parade.

Spectators are gathered along the streets as a police man crosses the street. A police car is in position to begin one of the Cozumel Carnaval parades. Some along the street are seating in folding chairs or a wheelchair.

A drum corps marching in the Cozumel Carnaval parade. A dozen members are shown marching in rows with red shirts and white slacks, playing drums that they wear strapped to them. The band leader is walking backwards in front of them while giving directions. It is daylight still and there is a white building in the background. They are all wearing matching bright yellow athletic shoes.

A drum corps marches in the Cozumel Carnaval parade. The young men are wearing red shirts with insignia, white slacks and carrying large drums in front of them. The drums have an island print graphic in greens and blues.

A full height left front view of a parade float at Cozumel Carnaval. The upper level has a queen with an ornate costume and crown and the lower level has 3 women entertainers with hot pink feather headpieces and costumes with fluffy hot pink over a shoulder. The sky is dusky and the float is under a street sign/lamp.

Frontal overview of a float at the Cozumel Carnaval parade. There is an upper level deigned as an open clam shell, with a man in a king costume waving to the crowds. The lower level has several performers in a variety of colorful costumes.

Cozumel Carnaval parade float with a man wearing sleeveless costume and crown on upper level. Upper level is designed like an open clam shell. The lower level has several other entertainers in various costumes. The sky is beginning to get dark and the float is rolling under an overhead street sign.

A dance team performing and marching in one of the Cozumel Carnaval parades. The young women are wearling silver upper face masks with pink feathers above the masks. They have hot lime green bra tops, black short shorts and black over the knee boots. It is daylight and there are spectators and a white building in the background.

Two rows of the marching band wearing pastel tie dye shirts resting their brass instruments as they walk the Cozumel Carnaval parade route. They fill the street and you can see a white building behind them.

More members of the marching drum corps wearing pastel tie dye shirts. Seven members are visible and six have drums while one has a large pair of cymbals. They are marching in one of the Cozumel Carnaval parades in daylight down a spectator lined street with a white building in the background.

A closeup photo of a young latino man wearing a bright orange and white costume with very full ruffled sleeves. He has a white fedora with tall spikey white feathers and a few decoartive orange and black smaller feathers in the band. He is marching in one of the Cozumel Carnaval parades, with spectators lining the street.

This young woman is part of a dance troop performing in one of the Cozumel Carnaval parades. She is wearing a black and pink swimwear styled bikini with sheer stockings that have gold sparkle gems attached. Her arms are both raised in the air and are covered with large multi color ruffles. She is smiling and has a headpiece with an ocean theme. There are stylized coral and starfish along with tall spikey orange feathers. It is still daylight and a white building is visible in the background.

Cozumel Carnaval performer during one of the parades, in daylight with a white building in the background. She is wearing a black and hot pink swimwear styled bikini with large colorful ruffles over her upper arms and lower legs. The ruffles are lime, hot pink and aqua. She has an ornate headpiece that is sea themed with stylized coral and starfishes and long bright orange feathers in the design. Spectators line the parade route and several of her dance team members are in the background.

A young woman entertainer walking the parade route for the Cozumel Carnaval parade. It is still daylight and there is a white building in the background and spectators lining the street. She is wearing an ornate lavender leotard costume with lavender knee high boots, lavender arm bands and a tall feathered headpiece.

The sky is getting dark as this float rolls down the street at Cozumel Carnaval parade. A young latino man is standing on the upper level wearing a crown and a knee length royalty robe. A woman is in the forefront on the lower level of the float wearing a silver sequin bra top with a spikey feather headband.

The Cozumel Carnaval Parade Route

In Cozumel, the parade route is a long loop. It starts near the municipal building at Parque Andres Quintana Roo, and extends nearly to Airport Road, before looping to the other side of the median in the street and returning. While exhausting as a parade performer, this means you get two chances each night to see your favorites. You get a view of the right side of each float, and the left side as well.

A bright yellow gypsy wagon with a costumed character driver being pulled by a red pickup truck in one of the Cozumel Carnaval parades. The pickup truck had life size black and white painted horses attached to the sides,, so it appears like the horses are pulling the gypsy wagon.

Women with colorful gypsy costumes with long flowy skirts and head scarves carrying tamborines walk in the Cozumel Carnaval parade.

Spectators line the street as a Cozumel Carnaval performer walks by. He is wearing a large white irredescent snowflake costume with a 7 foot wide back piece and a tall feathered headpiece. He is dressed in a white and silver long sleeved costume and wearing knee high boots as he walks the parade route.

Women perform in the darkness at the Cozumel Carnaval parade. They are wearing short costumes with red tutu skirts and have large back pieces than extend to 10 ft. wide with waving sheer green streamers that look like foliage. There are red flower buds and leaves attached. The dancers have their arms extended to wave the green streamers as they walk the Cozumel Carnaval parade route. Spectators line the edge of the street.

At the Cozumel Carnaval parade a young latino man wearing an orange and metallic gold costume walks down the street. He has a 10 ft. wide and tall backpiece that looks like orange leaves with attached orange feather plumes. His 2 foot tall headpiece has a gold frame with red and black feathers. He has a patterned gold metallic long sleeved outfit with gold metallic knee high boots for his Cozumel Carnaval parade costume. He smiles as he walks.

Female dance troupe poses along the Carnaval parade route in Cozumel. They are wearing white and purple costumes with large silver and purple headpieces.

It is dark along the Cozumel Carnaval parade route as a costumed couple pass py. Both have elaborate feathered headpieces with bright yellow. He is a pace behind her with very long curving wing shaped pieces that are edged with matching yellow feathers.

An Elvis costumed man throws mardi gras bead necklaces to the crowd from a float. There is a child standing next to him and a Star Wars costumed golden robot character is in the background.

A group of costumed performers along a railing of a float they are riding in a Cozumel Carnaval parade. They appear to be wearing red dresses with full skirts and large feathered headpieces.

A group of dancers wearing bright Carnaval attire dance the night away on stage as the crowd watches. One woman wears a pink dress with matching feathers while a man wears a small hat and Mardi Gras colored clothing.

A large sculpted green parrot on a branch and a replica of the town center clock tower are shown on this Carnaval float in Cozumel Mexico.

Male entertainer on a Cozumel Carnaval parade float wearing a silver satin with ornate gold trim long sleeve jacket and an oversized costume genie styled turban headpiece.

A parade float from Cozumel Carnaval with a young woman wearing a purple and silver costume. She has her hand positioned by her mouth to shout loudly and in the other hand she has a yellow cup to toss to the crowd. Behind her is a young man wearing a bright red and silver outfit while riding on another area of the float.

Dark black sky behind a Cozumel Carnaval parade float featuring a large blue,, green and purple bird and a yellow animal. Riding on the float is a woman wearing a traditional Mexican embroidered dress and holding a microphone.

Bright orange, yellow and purple feathered costumes on two entertainers walking in the Cozumel Carnaval parade. Others follow behind and there are spectators lining the street.

Three women in brightly colored yellow and red costumes walking in the Cozumel Carnaval parade with a middle aged man wearing a green costume.

Closeup of a young latino woman who is part of a dance troupe dancing and walking in one of the Cozumel Carnaval parades. She is wearing a short black sparkly costume dress with sheer black lomg sleeves and a large white yoke. Other members in matching outfits follow behind her. You can see spectators in the darkness along the street.

Two men riding on a red ATV pulling a Christmas candy house as a float behind them, during a Cozumel Carnaval parade.

A Butterfly themed parade float as part of Cozumel Carnaval. Several women are riding the float in ladybug themed costumes that are red and black. The woman in the front is clapping and smiling at spectators. She is wearing a purple butterfly themed costume.

Male entertainer walking and waving in one of Cozumel Carnaval parades. He is dressed in all white with metallic gold trim on his tunic. He has a large white and gold headpiece shaped like a 18" tall crown.

A Cozumel Carnaval parade float decorated with lush green foliage and a 5 foot tall red parrot. An entertainer rides on the very top with a large purple fan designed backpiece and a purple feathered headpiece.

A middle-aged latino man performing as part of a large latino dance troupe. They are wearing dark slacks, long sleeve white shirts, gold ties, purple vests and white fedoras. These older men dance the entire length of the Cozumel Carnaval parade each night. This photo has 4 other members in the background.

A male latino dance group performs as they dance their way down the Cozumel Carnaval parade route. The leader is in front with his back to the photographer. He is holding up his arm in the air with hand signals to the dancers so they know which routine to perform next. It is dark but you can tell the members have long sleeve white shirts, purple vests and white fedoras.

The Flip

Once the parade makes it’s first pass down the road, you’ll notice that everyone grabs their chairs and starts rotating around or running to the opposite side of the street to find new positions for the second half. If you plan ahead, this gives you a chance to improve the position you have chosen for viewing.

The Vendors

This will also give you time to make purchases from food and drink vendors, both in stalls and walking the streets. Restaurants will have reserved tables and seating outdoors, some with buffets. I usually will find a spot along a sidewalk to park my chair and my family will set up folding chairs or rest on a curb.

Pro Tip: Bring water. Many local families will pull a large cooler full of ice and drinks, then use it as seating.

When watching the parades with my family, we bought small carnival light-up toys and I played with the small children around me. We are always in it for the food and we have bought so many delicious things from street vendors: Grilled kabobs, Flan, Tamales, Savory pastries, All sorts of drinks, and Elote corn. Bags of puffed snacks with tiny plastic bags of hot sauce to squeeze over the top, Cotton Candy, Tacos, Marquesitas, Ice cream treats, and even Pozol- a corn and chocolate drink. The point is you will not go hungry and these parades last for several hours, so bring your pesos!

Vendors in the streets selling candy, food, and toys during Cozumel's Carnaval celebration!

A teen girl poses in her wheelchair with a light up toy laser gun while along a dark street awaiting a Cozumel Carnaval parade.

What will you see?

You’ll see nearly every type of float during the Carnaval parades, which makes me happy these events are accessible. There are families with small home-made floats, countless musical groups, dancers in their elaborate costumes, and of course the kings and queens. There’s also an impressive number of giant and over-the-top floats rolling along as well. Cozumel Carnaval is an event that includes everyone, young and old, which you’ll see represented during the parades.

Mother and toddler daughter, both dressed in festive masks and headdresses for Carnaval in Cozumel ride on top of a small float during a parade.

Mr. Carnaval, also known as Mr. Spectacular Fernando Ferraez serves as the grand marshal and emcee for many carnival events. He is known for outlandish outfits. This is him walking in one of the Cozumel Carnaval parades wearing a flamboyant black outfit and waving to the crowd as he passes. He has a very tall headpiece with assorted bright feathers and his outfit has many layers of fringe and feathers that are yellow, orange, pink, blue and green.

A Mexican woman holding a microphone and wearing a traditional embroidered dress is riding on a parade float and leans over smiling into the camera. This parade float features a large purple and green bird. There are other costumed performers in the background. The background is night darkness as this Cozumel Carnaval parade is held.

A young woman smiling as she rides on a flower filled parade float as part of Cozumel Carnaval. She has long dark hair, and the flowers obstruct the view of her costume.

A young woman is lit in a purple light in the dark night as she rides a float in one of the Cozumel Carnaval parades.

With dark black sky as background, three young women with large lime green ruffled boas ride on a Cozumel Carnaval parade float.

A parade float that features a replica of R2D2 robot character from Star Wars. There are entertainers riding on the float and smiling as they toss beads and cups into the crowds. Three womennare in long red gowns

Two young women wearing costumes of white dresses heavily embellished with fluffy white feathers and tall feathered headpieces wave to spectators as they ride on a parade float for Cozumel Carnaval.

Only in Mexico!

As you watch the parade, you’ll no doubt notice that some of those floats are tall…. really tall! In fact, you may find yourself wondering how they’re going to clear the powerlines as they slowly make their way along the road. Well, keep a close eye on the crew on the float. You’ll no doubt see someone with a long wooden tool that almost looks like a broom. If you watch carefully, you’ll see that as they approach the lower-hanging powerlines, it’s the stick-holder’s job to carefully lift the lines up and over the tall points on the float! This is so wild to watch and something we had a good laugh about during the festivities.

What’s with the Bulls?

Another wild thing you’ll notice is a few groups in the parade that are accompanied by a giant bull. Not a real bull of course, but something the group has crafted as part of the “Torito Wacax Che” competition. Since this area of Mexico was once colonized by Spain, this competition is a nod to Spanish bullfighting, and the groups take turns acting out a bullfight with hilarious results!

Who should go to the parades?

The parades are designed to be friendly for everyone. Trust me, you’ll be so glad the Cozumel Carnaval parades are accessible, because they are so much fun! Since they run along the major street in Cozumel, they are easily accessible by those using wheelchairs. You can easily claim your spot to watch along the sidewalk as long as you show up ahead of time. The parade is friendly for families too, with only a little bit of Carnaval craziness. Families with kids will want to head home as the parades wrap-up, as many bands start to fill the street and the vibe turns a bit more into an outdoor nightclub. But don’t worry, you’ll have fun music to listen to the entire way back to your rental or hotel. Then, once you’re rested, check out more accessible destinations in Cozumel!