El Cedral Festival Program (English Translation)
Thursday, April 23
* 5:00 PM — Cathedral Chapel
Afternoon bell ringing
Solemn lowering procession of the Holy Cross
* 6:00 PM — Cathedral Chapel
Catholic Mass
* 7:00 PM — Main Palapa
Cultural event
* 8:00 PM — Cathedral Chapel
Dawn novena
Responsible: Mrs. Delia Cárdenas Montero
Friday, April 24
* 8:00 PM — Cathedral Chapel
Night novena
Responsible: Mrs. Martina Silva
Saturday, April 25
* 8:00 AM — Cathedral Chapel
Morning novena
Responsible: Mrs. Juanita Espinosa
* 8:00 PM — Cathedral Chapel
Night novena
Responsible: Mrs. Rilmy Rivero
Sunday, April 26
* 8:00 AM — Cathedral Chapel
Morning novena
Responsible: Mr. Alonso Villanueva
* 1:30 PM — Cathedral Chapel
Sunday Mass
* 8:00 PM — Cathedral Chapel
Night novena
Responsible: Mrs. Carmen Cárdenas Montero
Monday, April 27
* 8:00 AM — Cathedral Chapel
Morning novena
Responsible: Mrs. Silvia García Cárdenas
* 8:00 PM — Cathedral Chapel
Night novena
Responsible: Mrs. Juanita Flores
Tuesday, April 28
* 8:00 AM — Cathedral Chapel
Morning novena
Responsible: Mrs. Juliana Montero
* 8:00 PM — Cathedral Chapel
Night novena
Responsible: Padago Avila Family
Wednesday, April 29
* 8:00 AM — Cathedral Chapel
Morning novena
Responsible: Mrs. Guadalupe Cárdenas
* 8:00 PM — Cathedral Chapel
Night novena
Responsible: Mr. Ignacio Rejón Cárdenas
Thursday, April 30
* 8:00 AM — Cathedral Chapel
Morning novena
Responsible: Mrs. Luis Montero
* 8:00 PM — Cathedral Chapel
Night novena
Responsible: Aguilar Family
Friday, May 1
* 8:00 AM — Cathedral Chapel
Morning novena
Responsible: Mrs. Rocío Aguilar Cárdenas
* 11:00 AM — Monument to the Mestizos
Traditional festival inauguration
* 11:30 AM — Cathedral Main Palapa
Coronation and presentation of buttons, little hats, banners, and ambassadors
* 11:45 AM — Cathedral Main Palapa
Presentation of the 2026 patron saint festival group
* 12:30 PM — Cathedral Main Palapa
Traditional Yucatecan dress runway: “The Cedral and its people are better”
* 1:30 PM — Cathedral Main Palapa
Cultural exchange with Tierra Ámbar folkloric group from Tuxtepec, Oaxaca
* 3:00 PM — Main Palapa
Artistic event “Casa de la Cultura Yucahé”
* 4:00 PM — Cathedral Main Palapa
Rally by DIF Cozumel
* 4:30 PM — Main Palapa
Older adult troubadour afternoon
* 6:00 PM — Cathedral Chapel
Night novena
Responsible: Mr. Eligio Cárdenas Montero
* 7:30 PM — Cathedral entrance arch
Tribute to Don Licho and videomapping projection
Saturday, May 2
* 8:00 AM — Cathedral Chapel
Morning novena
Responsible: Marrufo Angulo Family
* 10:00 AM — Main Palapa
Chess tournament
* 1:00 PM — Patron Saint Festival Center
Regional dance competition
* 2:30 PM — Main Palapa
Yucatecan regional dance
* 4:30 PM — Main Palapa
Cultural interchange with folkloric groups
The History
The festival of El Cedral takes place in Cozumel annually. It began as the religious festival, “Santa Cruz de Sabán” over 178 years ago. At that time, the Cast War was taking place in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Young Casimiro Cárdenas
Casimiro Cárdenas was a member of a group that was attacked by Mayans in a village called Sabán. Knowing the Mayans were close, Cárdenas found shelter in a church in the Village. When the Mayans attacked, the shelter proved to be useless, and many members of the party were killed.
The Promise
Cárdenas, gravely wounded and covered in blood, held his crucifix in his hand and in a moment of consciousness, made a promise. He promised that if he ever reached a safe place to settle, he would hold a solemn service to honor the religious power of the crucifix, “Santa Cruz”, each and every year of his life.
The survivors of the attack continued their journey, among them the young Casimiro Cárdenas. They arrived on the island of Cozumel and founded the Village of El Cedral over the ruins of the ancient town of Oycib.
After settling, Casimiro fulfilled his promise and celebrated the first service to Santa Cruz de Sabán (Holy Cross of Sabán) in 1848.
When Don of Casimiro Cárdenas died, his wife continued the religious festivities. Today, their descendants, the Cárdenas Montero Family are keepers of the Festival of the Holy Cross of Sabán.
Years have passed and going to El Cedral with the family to celebrate the Holy Cross has become a tradition. In 1975 local authorities decided to join the Cárdenas Family and include commercial and recreational events with the religious festivities.
Today
Today, the festival is the oldest in the state with 166 years of uninterrupted celebration. The Festival at El Cedral includes regional handicraft exhibitions, horse races, bullfights, rooster fights, concerts, gastronomy, competitions, sporting events and many cultural events such as the traditional “Jarana” dance and the unique “Dance of the Hog Head.”
The festival is generally held the end of April and beginning of May. Shuttle buses run almost continually from the Chedraui lot.
AND YOU HEARD THE REST OF THE STORY FROM:
The Cozumel Sun News – Do not miss the events taking place all month in Cozumel! Check out The Cozumel Sun Calendar 2026.
