The Mazatlán Municipal Institute of Culture, Tourism, and Art (CULTURA) invites interested individuals to register for the contest to select the “King of Joy” (Rey de la Alegría) for the 2027 Mazatlán International Carnival, scheduled for February 4–9, 2027.
Applicants must be natives of Mazatlán or provide proof of at least five years of residency in the municipality. Candidates who are the children of a Mazatlán native must demonstrate at least one year of continuous residency prior to the call for entries. Applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of registration.
Interested parties must submit a registration application, two portrait-style photographs, a copy of their birth certificate, their INE (voter ID) card, proof of address, and proof of residency (for non-locals).
* Previous participation: Individuals who have participated only once before, or those who formally justified their withdrawal to CULTURA, are eligible to re-register.
Selection process and vote tallies
CULTURA will select between two and three participants as official candidates. The official presentation will take place on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Each candidate must secure a minimum total of 120,000 votes (where one peso equals one vote), split across two tallying sessions. The first tally will be held on Thursday, November 26, 2026 (6:00 PM), and the second on Thursday, January 14, 2027 (6:00 PM), at Plazuela República.
Designation of royalty
Upon validation of the vote count before a Notary Public, the candidate with the highest number of votes will be proclaimed the 2027 King of Joy; the runner-up will receive the title of Royal Prince (Príncipe Real), and the third-place finisher will be named Royal Marquis (Marqués Real). Information and Registration
Registration is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the CULTURA offices, located at Av. Miguel Alemán 203 (between Belisario Domínguez and Heriberto Frías streets, Centro district).
For further information, interested parties may visit the websites www.carnavalmazatlan.com and www.culturamazatlan.com, or call 982 4444 / 34.
