The San Pedro International Costa Maya Festival
This Costa Maya festival is a celebration of the Mundo Maya countries throughout Central America. The first festival was held in 1991 and was called the Sea and Air Festival. All five Mundo Maya countries participated Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Dancers, cultural performers and musical entertainers from these countries are hosted in San Pedro Town for six days of celebrations.

The festival is held either during the month of July or August. The festival commences on the Tuesday of the designated week and ends on Sunday. Each country is assigned a night on which their culture and talent is displayed with Sunday being the grand finale.

Beginning in 1996, the first ever Reina de la Costa Maya, Queen of the Mayan Costa Beauty Pageant is held on the first night of the festival. Contestants from each country compete to offer the best representation of the Central American coast using the categories of cultural costumes, swimwear and evening gowns.

Entertainers offer festival goers a wide array of music including Punta, Reggae, Soca, Salsa, Meringue, Cumbia, and traditional Mayan music. Cultural presentations are usually presented in the form or theatrical dances. These dances tell of the Mayan culture, traditions and rich heritage.

Organized by a non-profit committee to promotes goodwill among Central American countries and to encourage visitors to Belize, the festival grounds also has booths displaying arts and craft, games, clothing, food as well as Rides and carnival games for the young and young at heart. Click here to view highlights from all the festivals.

Carnaval
San Pedro Town is one of the very last places in the country of Belize that observes Carnaval. San Pedros Carnaval is similar to New Orleans Mardi Gras (in meaning, not size). Carnaval is observed during the week leading up to Ash Wednesday and the Lenten Season. Carnival is a pagan celebration during which time people can indulge in bodily pleasures that they will soon have to give up during lent. The local government of San Pedro Town usually organizes a week of fun events for visitors and locals.

Comparsas dancers form groups and dress themselves in outlandish customs and dance for money through the main streets of the town. One of the most popular comparsa groups is the male comparsa group. Groups of men usually well known and influential men in the community dress up like women and dance. Each year prizes are given to the best dance group and for the past few years the men have taken home the prize.

Children from all ages also participate in carnival. The community leaders annually stress that the season should be celebrated in a respectful and peaceful manner. It usually is. On the last day of Carnival painters flood the street to paint each other. This simply means that a mixture of water paint and water or raw eggs is used to paint people on the streets, the goal being to paint as many people as you can. If you don't want to be painted stay in your hotel room. It can be wild but fun.

Click here for a story and photos in the San Pedro Sun....

San Pedro Day

San Pedro Day (Dia De San Pedro or The Day of St Peter) is observed on June 27th every year and celebrates the first group of families who fled from the Caste War in Yucatan Mexico and made Ambergris Caye their home around 1847. Each year the town celebrates by having parades, educational workshops and lectures on the islanders history and ancestors, special church masses, blessings of the fleet and local fishermen, dances, special concerts and a fun day for children and adults. It has been celebrated on Ambergris Caye beginning during the early years and the decades when fishing was the primary industry and San Pedro was still a tiny village.

Nine days of piety and a nine step altar. The statue of St Peter would move up a step each night at one of the novenas…or services held at a local families house. The novenas or nine days devoted to the saint would end with the bishop coming from Belize City to be met by decorated local boats and docks. He would confirm local children readied for their confirmation, perform a blessing of a parade of the fishing boats (sometimes with holy water in a water pistol!) and then a feast and festival.Back in the days before restaurants, bars and nightclubs, this sort of party was hugely anticipated. Dance contests, a huge band, food, a giant party.

Township Day
San Pedro was declared a town by the government of Belize in 1984 and November 27th is observed as Township Day. The local government Town Board organizes annual events including boat races, fishing tournaments, parades, musical entertainment and a small festival to celebrate the occasion.

The settlers who came from Mexico brought with them their Spanish Language, Catholic and Mexican traditions and a rich culture. The official language of Belize is English and most islanders speak and understand English but the main language is still Spanish. The Mayan that some of the present settlers' ancestors once spoke in no longer spoken.

Islanders also speak Creole; a language or dialect derived from the English language. Due to the influence of Mayan, Creole and English languages most of the islanders speak today what is known as "kitchen Spanish" - informal Spanish that incorporates English, Mayan and Creole words. An example is "pullar". The word comes from the English root "pull" and adds a Spanish suffix "ar". The English definition is "pull".

The Mexican settlers also brought with them a distinctly rich culture with traditions comprised of Spanish, Mayan and Catholic elements. Many of these traditions are still followed today. Some such of these is the observance of religious feast days and regulations such as the Lenten Season, an important aspect of Catholicism; regular attendance at Church especially at Easter and Christmas and the celebration of Sacraments. Easter Procession and Novenas (prayers) are spectacular annual events and have the participation of almost the entire local population of San Pedro Town.

Another common tradition that continues today is that of naming children and places after Catholic patrons and Saints. Most of the new settlements and developments are named after Saints: e.g. San Pedro - Saint Peter.

Quinceanos
One of Ambergris Cayes most loved and spectacular events is the Quinceanos celebration. This celebration is Mexican in origin and is basically a "coming out" party for a young girl who turns fifteen. Similar to that of a sweet-sixteen party the origin of the Quinceanos was to announce to the community that the young girl was of a marriageable age and informed prospective husbands that the girl was available.

Although Quinceanos celebrations are still carried out today girls at fifteen are no longer advertised as fit to wed, instead, the meaning symbolizes the girls passage from childhood to adulthood. She is dressed in a magnificent gown usually white and similar to a wedding gown. She has an escort and several maids with their escorts are followed by her friends and family to the town's Catholic Church. At the Church a special mass is held and a ring is blessed by the presiding priest and presented to the girl.

Other traditions involving courtships and marriages have also changed over the years. In the past a young man interested in courting and possible marrying a young woman had to comply with certain rules. He had to ask for permission from the girls parents to visit her at her home in the presence of all family members. The visits lasted no more than a few hours. If a girl attended a dance she had to be escorted by her parents. This has changed considerably and most young men and women intent on marriage have the freedom to conduct their courtship for the most part without the interference of parents or guardians.