Playa del Carmen Marks 124th Anniversary by Honoring Its Founding Families

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — City officials recognized the legacy of Playa del Carmen’s founding and pioneer families on Saturday, marking the Caribbean resort city’s 124th anniversary with a civic ceremony at Parque Fundadores.

Luis Armando Herrera Quiam, general secretary of the municipal government, led the ceremony on behalf of Mayor Estefanía Mercado and said the city is the product not only of its first settlers but also of those who arrived later and chose the area to build their homes and futures.

“A city is not born only when it appears on a map. A city is built every day through the efforts of the families who live here, the work of those who keep arriving, the dreams of those who decide to stay and the will of those who, generation after generation, keep opening paths,” Herrera Quiam said.

Speaking for the mayor, he paid tribute to the pioneer families and stressed that amid the city’s growth and the arrival of new residents, it is essential to preserve its historical memory, strengthen its identity and keep alive the respect owed to those who started the community.

Chronicler traces 515 years of history

City chronicler Luis Barragán offered an account of Playa del Carmen’s past, covering 515 years of history, the six stages of the community’s evolution and the four names the destination has carried.

He recalled that the name Playa del Carmen was recorded in a historical document on November 14, 1902 — the date now commemorated as the city’s anniversary.

Barragán called on residents to honor those who laid the community’s foundations and to keep working toward a city with better opportunities for coming generations.

José Luis Acosta Quián, president of the association Unidos por Playa del Carmen, said the city’s history lives not only in official records but also in the experiences, photographs and memories of those who grew up there.

Recalling the early years, when Playa del Carmen was a small settlement surrounded by jungle and sea, he acknowledged the contributions of families including the Quián, Dzib, Puc and Aguilar in building the community.

“Being from Playa del Carmen is not only about having been born here; it is also about loving this land, respecting its history and feeling part of its future,” Acosta Quián said.

The ceremony closed with a floral offering in memory of those who helped forge Playa del Carmen, along with a call to keep alive the city’s pride in its roots, history and identity.