Off the beaten path: Mexico's best cultural festivals

But for more adventuresome and curious travelers, Mexico offers an array of colorful festivals. Most combine Catholic ritual with indigenous practices, offering visitors an intimate view of Mexican ceremonies and celebrations. Here's a sampling of the country's finest festivals and cultural events, including the best places to enjoy them.

JANUARY January Fair and the Festival of San Sebastián the Martyr

Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas: Despite its origins, this spirited festival is more merrymaking than martyrdom. Highlights of the Fiesta de enero, or January Fair, are hundreds of Parachicos masked dancers sporting exotic wigs, and special dishes. The fair starts in mid-January, and festivities culminate in a staged naval battle on the river Grijalva and a fabulous fireworks display on Jan. 21.

Tip: Accommodations are limited in Chiapa de Corzo, so plan to stay in Tuxtla Gutiérrez (nine miles west). www.travelchiapas.com

FEBRUARY Candelaria (Candlemas)

San Miguel de Allende: This celebration, marking the midpoint (Feb. 2) between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, is a hybrid of Catholic and indigenous rituals. Juárez Park is a profusion of color with a huge weeklong plant sale.

Tip: Stay at one of San Miguel's many B&Bs, such as Casa de la Cuesta, where your hosts help you gain insider information about cultural festivals. www.internetsanmiguel.com

Veracruz Carnival

Veracruz, Veracruz: Carnaval kicks off with the Quema del Mal Humor, the burning in effigy of bad humor. Daily parades with imaginative floats, coronations of a queen, an ugly king and child king, dances and riotous concerts follow. Gyrating dancers, revelers in outlandish garb, and noisy musicians fill the streets. On Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, the celebrations end with the burial of Juan Carnaval, the symbol of wanton excess and revelry, as the abstinence of Lent begins.

Tip: West Coast residents might find cheaper flights to La Paz or Mazatlán, where they celebrate carnival with similar excess. www.carnaval.com/city guides/veracruz/vc_carnaval.htm

MARCH/APRIL Palm Sunday Folk Art Market