El Cedral Festival of the Cross
El Cedral is a small village in the southern part of the island of Cozumel. Each year a large festival is held here in honor of the founder of the town, Casimiro Cárdenas. 150 years ago, Cárdenas escaped with a small crucifix from soldiers during the War of the Castes, and vowed to honor his victory wherever he settled. The modern festival is described as a giant party with drinks, meals, snacks, carnival rides, prizes, horse races and traditional Spanish bull fights. People from the larger settlement of Cozumel flock to the tiny town in anticipation of the week’s events and look forward to it all year long
Each year a large international fishing tournament takes place in the waters off the coast of Cozumel. This annual event is comprised of two different main spectacles: the International Cozumel Fishing Tournament and the Mexican Boat Rodeo. Anyone may enter the first event but the second is only available to boats registered in Mexico. Competitors search for the best examples of blue marlin, white marlin, tuna, barracuda and wahoo fish which are plentiful game fish around the island. The tournament is a welcome opportunity for sports fisherman from all over the world to experience the crystalline vibrant waters of the Gulf of Mexico.