Cancún’s Carnival 2026 to Begin with Traditional Burning of Bad Mood Ritual

Cancún, Mexico — Cancún’s Carnival 2026 will launch on February 12 with the traditional Burning of the Bad Mood, a symbolic ritual that marks the start of the festival, renewal, and community gathering.

One of the most symbolic and anticipated rituals of the Carnival, it represents a collective act of renewal where the community leaves behind negativity to make way for joy, music, and conviviality.

A Ritual with Popular Roots

This tradition originates from ancient European and Latin American celebrations, where fire served as a symbol of purification and transformation. Over time, the Burning of the Bad Mood integrated into Carnival as a festive ceremony blending satire, social criticism, and hope.

What Gets Burned and Why

In some municipalities or cities, the event involves burning a figure, typically a doll or symbolic representation, that embodies “bad mood.” In Cancún, the custom involves a small parade starting at Plaza de la Reforma, featuring the current year’s royal court, last year’s participants, a batucada group, and various municipal companies. They dance their way to Parque de las Palapas, where a coffin awaits on stage containing the bad mood, social problems, negative situations from the year, and characters or attitudes affecting the community—all to be buried, making way for life and the festive humor of Carnival.

The act aims not to point fingers but to release tensions through humor and irony, reminding that Carnival also serves as a space for social expression. A manifesto is typically read before the festivities begin.

The Start of the Party

The Burning of the Bad Mood is not just a ceremonial act:

• It paves the way for parades
• It announces the coronation of kings and queens
• It marks the beginning of concerts and cultural activities

It is the moment when the city officially declares itself ready to experience Carnival.

Manifesto of the Burning of the Bad Mood

“We get rid of the negative! Today, February 12, 2026, sorrows, debts, sadness, and stress turn to ashes.

Let bitterness be buried! Let bad memories and apathy vanish to make way for music and color.

Boredom is prohibited! From this moment on, we declare the sovereignty of fun, costumes, and Carnival.

Total renewal! With this smoke go the complaints, and we welcome the party with open hearts and joyful spirits.

Let the bad mood die and long live Carnival!”