Take a look at some of the interesting events coming up in Cancún and the Riviera Maya in February and March.

Holbox Public Art Festival

From February 13 to 16, the island of Holbox is hosting the First International Festival of Public Art. This extravaganza of colorful murals, street art, paintings, sculptures and art installations showcases the talent and creativity of artists from Cancun, the Riviera Maya, other parts of Mexico, Canada and the United States.

Momentos Sagrados Mayas

If you would like to learn more about Mayan traditions and life in rural Yucatán, then don’t miss Momentos Sagrados Mayas or Sacred Mayan Moments, a colorful and moving community theater production featuring over 200 actors of all ages from seven different villages. This unique event takes place in the village of X’ocen near Valladolid every Sunday from January to March 9 at 4 p.m.

Offering a glimpse of daily life through vignettes depicting timeless ceremonies, grinding corn for tortillas, hammock weaving, traditional dances and the village fiesta among others, Momentos Sagrados Mayas is a theater production staged by the community actors and written and directed by Maria Alicia Martinez Medrano of the Laboratorio de Teatro Campesino e Indígena (Rural and Indigenous Community Theater Workshop). Members of her group have been studying Mayan traditions in the Yucatán for more than 20 years, with the aim of bringing them to the public eye through community theater performances and of preserving legends, dance steps, music, garments, rituals and festivals for posterity.

X’ocen is a half-hour drive from the colonial town of Valladolid. Momentos Sagrados Mayas takes place at 4 p.m. on Sunday until March 9, be there at 3:45 p.m. and the admission fee is $160 pesos per person. Ask at the Thomas More Travel tour desk in your resort about private trips to see Momentos Sagrados Mayans and visit Valladolid.

Let’s Go Fly a Kite! Isla Blanca Kite Festival

On February 22 and 23, eager kite flyers from Mexico, United States and Canada will gather on the beach at Isla Blanca north of Punta Sam for the Fifth Kite Festival. This promises to be a fun family event and will help raise money for La Casita, a Cancún orphanage.

2014 North American Windsurfing Championship

Windsurfers from Mexico, the United States, Canada and the Caribbean will gather in Puerto Cancun from February 20 to 23 for the 2014 North American Windsurfing Championship. Organized by the Mexican Windsurfing Association, this event features the RS:X class which is a qualifying event for the 2015 Pan American Games to be held in Toronto. The winners of the Techno 293 class event for competitors under the age of 17 will take part in the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China. (source: Cancun Visitors & Convention Bureau)

Riviera Maya Film Festival

Now in its third year and growing in popularity, the Riviera Maya Film Festival will be held March 9 to 15. Festivalgoers will be able to see an offering of Mexican films, documentaries, independent productions and movies from Europe, Russia and Japan among others. The latest films by Danish director Lars von Trier and Spike Lee will have their premiere in Latin America at the festival. This gala event will feature free movie screenings in Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Puerto Morelos and Cancun, some of them taking place on the beach.

Cancun & Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival

From March 13 to 16, Cancun plays host to the Third Cancun-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival. This year’s festival pays homage to French cuisine and the influence that it has had in Mexico and around the world.

The 2014 Festival features 26 events including conferences, wine and spirits tastings, a sunset catamaran cruise, interactive cooking challenges for teams of star chefs, gala dinners and a gourmet tasting village.

Among this year’s personalities at this event are Chefs Daniel Boulud (France and New York) and Guillermo González Beristain (Mexico, Paris), Canadian Sommelier Veronique Rivest and Mexican writers Martha Ortiz Chapa and Laura Esquivel (author of the book Como Agua para Chocolate).

For more information on the Festival, the program and tickets visit www.crmfest.com