Tropical Beats: The Best Festivals to Kick Off 2022 in the Riviera Maya
By Alex Ruelas
2022 is going to start with a bang in the Riviera Maya. After a year where concerts and festivals were all but impossible, live music is making a comeback to get the destination moving. Electronic beats, Latin grooves, and flashing lights will take over, setting the pace for a thumping start to the new year.
We have compiled a list of the most exciting events, all of them taking place in the next couple of months. And there is a lot on offer, from NYE parties to star-studded concerts. Even nostalgia tours to remind you of the good old 2000s. So, get your party outfit and your game face ready. We are turning up the volume to kick this one off with just the right energy.
Zamna Festival
When: December 31, 2021 - January 9, 2022
Perhaps the most renowned electronic music festival in the region, Zamna Festival is coming back this year to renew Tulum’s glamorous jungle vibes. It will start on December 31 with a New Year’s Eve party named Upperground, headlined by Kyiv duo Artbat. On December 2, the party continues with Claptone’s Masquerade, and it doesn’t stop until the night of December 9, the festival’s final date.
Self-defined as “an immersive electronic experience that takes place in one of the most incredible places on Earth,” Zamna brings together an eclectic crowd around the love of music. So, if you are craving an epic party to send off 2021, make your way down to this bangging rave in the middle of the jungle.
Departure Festival
Dates: January 6 - 11, 2022
Founded in Zurich and relocated to Brooklyn, the Cityfox Experience is now coming to Playa del Carmen in the form of Departure Festival, an immersive experience that will feature dance music, laser shows, and outrageous decor. It will take place from January 6 - 11 on two custom-built stages and a brand new Mirage, modeled in the famous NYC venue.
Additionally to dancing to top-notch DJ sets, festival-goers will enjoy other activities, such as yoga, meditation, and even daytime excursions to some of the most iconic places in the region. Traveling the Caribbean by day, submerging in a dance beats wonderland by night. What’s not to like?
Day Zero Festival
Dates: January 10, 2022
Claiming to gather “a community of ritualistic nomads,” Day Zero is also coming back to Tulum in January 2022. And if you want an idea of what the festival is like, the event has been labeled “the wildest (legal) rave in Mexico” by Condé Nast Traveler. It’s safe to say they are not fooling around.
This year’s lineup includes artists such as Damian Lazarus –one of the founders of the event– Audiofly and Francesca Lombardo, all of whom will be coming to Mexico after Day Zero’s edition in Masada, Israel, had to be postponed last September. If everything goes according to plan, January 10 should see the rebirth of an event that aims to fuse innovation and art in a stunning location, a world of fantasy brought to life through music.
Golden Sand
When: January 12 - 16, 2022
Is this 2009? Well, it looks like it. Golden Sand festival is throwing it back with an event that will bring some hip-hop and R&B old-timers to the Riviera Maya. 50 Cent, Ludacris, TLC, Sean Paul, and Flo Rida are some of the artists that will land in Cancún next January to blow up the stage and remind us of simpler times.
The nostalgia-infused four-day festival will take place at hotel Barceló Riviera Maya, where attendants will also enjoy pool parties and daytime activities. Because let’s admit it, in times like these reminiscing on the good old days is not enough. This legendary comeback and dancing again to those evergreen beats might be just what we need.
Neon
When: January 21 - 23, 2022
J Balvin and friends are bringing one of the hottest lineups in Latin music to Cancún. The Colombian singer and songwriter, who has consistently topped the charts for a while now, is headlining Neon, a three-day music festival that will also feature big names such as Rauw Alejandro, Sebastián Yatra, and Farruko.
Neon will begin on January 21, with stellar performances by J Balvin himself and fellow Colombian Yatra. And although the venues are yet to be confirmed, we know that the event will include pool parties and after parties in The City and Mandala clubs. So crank up the volume to In da Getto and Todo de Ti to prepare for a night of Latin flair and mucho perreo.
Festival Arena
When: February 2 - 8, 2022
A bit later next year, Festival Arena, one of the biggest LGBTQ+ music events in Mexico, will celebrate its 10th anniversary with yet another smashing edition during the first week of February. The festival, which features a reinterpretation of Mexican iconography, aims to provide a diverse community with a venue to enjoy electronic music and let loose.
Festival Arena will happen between February 2 and 8, 2022, in Playa del Carmen and Tulum. The venues are yet to be confirmed, but if you want to warm up for the party, you can follow their podcast featuring music curated by the performers in their lineup.
