ISLA MUJERES (MEXICO)- The Isla Mujeres Department of Tourism and international Festival sponsor Ceviche Tours have announced the dates of this year’s Whale Shark Festival, which takes place for the 10th time on the small Caribbean island of Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
The Festival will be held July 20-23, 2017 in Isla Mujeres, a short trip from Cancun International Airport. Isla Mujeres was honored by the Mexico Tourism Board recently as a “Pueblo Magico” (magical village) destination.
Whale Shark Festival
Last year thousands of people attended the family-friendly Whale Shark Festival, where guests can swim with whale sharks, the largest fish in the ocean and an endangered species. Isla Mujeres is the home to the largest aggregation of whale sharks in the world.
They can also join in traditional dancing, enjoy local food and work by local artisans, visit the turtle farm, snorkel and dive the reefs surrounding the island and more.
Marine conservation
Featured at the Festival will be Ch’ooj Ajauil, an organization dedicated to the monitoring, study and conservation of the pelagic organisms in the Mexican Atlantic; and Amigos de Isla Contoy, a 501c3 non-profit working to advance education on sustainable marine conservation and ecotourism in the region.
The 10th annual Whale Shark Festival kicks off with a parade on Thursday, July 20. Following will be activities for children such as sand sculpting events and crafting fun. Exhibitions showcasing the beauty of the island will feature presentations by marine biologists, whale shark murals, photography and local handcrafted works of art.
For more information, visit www.whalesharkfest.com.