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🍍 Basketball on Wheels, BBQ Bash & Anime Fest - Where Will You Be This Weekend?

🍍 Basketball on Wheels, BBQ Bash & Anime Fest - Where Will You Be This Weekend?

This week, meet Kylie, our adoptable dog of the week and get my picks for Five Fun Things to do. Plus, get the answer for last week's Trivia question!

Michele Kinnon
July 03, 2025

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Hola, Insiders!

First, ICYMI here’s another chance to read the Tuesday newsletter:
Popular Mexican Banks Accused of "Narco" Money Laundering

Today you get to meet Kylie, Playa Animal Rescue’s Adoptable Dog of the Week, find my picks for Five Fun Things to do this weekend and get the Live Music offerings for the upcoming week! Plus, get the answer for last week’s Trivia Question!

Do you know any musicians or live music lovers who would enjoy the Riviera Maya Rundown? Please share it with them!

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TRIVIA TIME

How did you do with last week’s Trivia Question? Last Thursday we asked:

Before tourism transformed the region in the 1970s, the most important industry in what is now Quintana Roo was chicle extraction—the harvesting of sap from sapodilla trees used to make chewing gum.

From the late 19th century through the mid-20th century, chicle was a major export, and the region’s dense jungles were dotted with chicleros—laborers who tapped trees and hauled the latex-like sap through remote forest camps. This trade was so central to the area's economy that it shaped settlement patterns, labor systems, and trade routes throughout the Yucatán Peninsula.

Alongside chicle, other important activities included logging (especially mahogany and other hardwoods), subsistence agriculture, coconut farming and fishing, but none matched the scale or export value of chicle until the rise of mass tourism in places like Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and Cozumel in the latter half of the 20th century.

Did you get the answer right? If so, congratulations! More than half of our readers who played along did not fare quite as well. Share this newsletter with all your Trivia-loving friends and see who knows the most about the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean!

FIVE FUN THINGS

Looking for something to do this weekend (and beyond)? Here are my picks for Five Fun Things you might want to check out! Contact details and links to ticketing information and the locations are included in each description. How easy is that?

🎤 Step Into a New Reality with Toastmasters

Ready to speak with confidence, lead with purpose, and connect with others in a whole new way? Join Inspiring Speakers PDC Toastmasters Club for their 90th session tonight, Thursday, July 3rd at 7PM sharp at the Aloft Hotel in Playa del Carmen. This week’s theme: Alternate Realities—a playful and thought-provoking topic to stretch your imagination and communication skills.

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit organization with clubs in over 140 countries, focused on helping members develop public speaking, communication, and leadership skills through hands-on experience.

Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or just starting out, Toastmasters offers a friendly, interactive space to grow at your own pace. Expect quick speaking challenges, valuable feedback, and a warm, international community that’s here to help you shine.

📆 Thursday July 3 | Doors open at 6:45 PM
📍 Aloft Hotel, Avenida 10 & Calle 34, Tactic Room
🎟️ Entry: 100 pesos

No experience necessary—just curiosity and the courage to speak up. Come meet the club that's been helping Playa residents find their voice for 100 years and counting.

🔥 Smoke & Freedom – 4th of July BBQ Bash

This Friday, July 4th, Parrilleros Playeros in Playa del Carmen is firing up the grill for a good old-fashioned Stars & Stripes celebration—Texas-style. Join the crew at Smokehouse & Beer for Smoke & Freedom, a backyard-style BBQ bash with bold flavors, craft brews, and red, white, and smoky vibes all night long.

Expect pitmaster plates piled high with grilled goodness, live country music to set the mood, and a free Firecracker Mezcalita to kick things off. It’s the kind of night where you grab a cold one, hang with friends, and let the smoke roll. Space is limited, so be sure to reserve your spot early for this mouthwatering Fourth of July throwdown.

📍 Parrilleros Playeros Smokehouse & Beer, Playa del Carmen
📆 Friday, July 4 | Starts at 7PM
📞 Text or DM +52 984 198 7895 to RSVP

🏀 Intl. Wheelchair Basketball Tournament Comes to Playa

From July 4–6, the Playa del Carmen Poliforum will host the 6th Annual International Wheelchair Basketball Tournament, a powerful display of athleticism, passion, and resilience. Teams from Mexico, the U.S., Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Costa Rica will face off in a high-energy, inclusive competition where the only limits are the sidelines.

The event is free and open to the public, and everyone’s invited to cheer on these world-class athletes as they light up the court with intensity and heart.

While you’re there, you can also support a great cause: health screenings will be available on July 4 & 5, including Hemoglobin A1C tests to help detect early risks of adult and childhood diabetes. Tests are $350 pesos, with a portion of proceeds going to Centro de Atención Integral Playa del Carmen A.C. Same-day results are available via WhatsApp.

📍 Poliforum Playa del Carmen, Av. Juárez & 115, Col. Ejidal
📆 July 4 – 6 | 8AM - 6PM
🎟 Free Admission

🍽️ ¡Qué Rico es Cancún! - A Festival of Flavors

This Saturday and Sunday, July 5 & 6, Cancún’s iconic Parque de las Palapas becomes the epicenter of flavor, culture, and community with the first edition of ¡Qué Rico es Cancún!, a new monthly culinary series that kicks off with a tribute to the bold, beloved cuisine of the Yucatán Peninsula.

Starting at 5 PM, you’ll find classic regional dishes like cochinita pibil, relleno negro, queso relleno, Poc Chuc, and more—served alongside sweets, drinks, and other bites that showcase the richness of local tradition. Expect an atmosphere that’s festive, family-friendly, and full of flavor.

The idea? Celebrate the multicultural identity of Cancún by tasting your way through the region—without leaving town.

📍 Parque de las Palapas, Cancún
📅 July 5 & 6 | From 5 PM
🎟️ Free Admission - Food & Drink to Purchase

This is just the first of many editions—each one spotlighting new culinary influences. Come hungry and bring friends!

🎌 AniBazar Returns to Playa del Carmen

Get ready for the most epic free fan event of the summer—AniBazar 2025 is taking over the IMCAS Cultural Center this weekend, July 5 & 6, and it’s packed with everything anime, cosplay, gaming, and K-pop lovers could ask for.

This high-energy, all-ages celebration of geek culture brings together live rock bands, cosplay contests, TCG tournaments, open karaoke, K-pop dance covers, food stalls, artist vendors, and a dedicated game zone. Whether you're here to cheer on your favorite characters in the cosplay competition (with cash prizes!), catch the BTS fan movie “Break the Silence”, or join a Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic, Pokémon, or Digimon card battle, there’s something happening every hour.

Catch rock performances from local bands like Stib King, The Veintes, Lexicon, Klesha, and more. Don’t miss the K-pop dance show, special fan presentations, or a chance to browse booths loaded with merch, snacks, comics, and handmade fandom gear.

📍 IMCAS Cultural Center, Av. CTM between 115 & 120, Playa del Carmen
📆 July 5 & 6 | 12PM to 8PM
🎟️ Free Admission

THE RMI ROUNDUP PROUDLY SUPPORTS

🍍 Riviera Maya Insider is working together with PAR - Playa Animal Rescue to help amazing dogs find forever homes. Each week, we will feature a pup who is ready for adoption and eager to join your family.

MEET KYLIE, OUR DOG OF THE WEEK

🐾 Kylie is a member of our Swiftie family, she is about 18 months old. This little one is a joy to be around, she has normal puppy energy and is a blast to play with. Kylie is spayed, parasite free, up to date on vaccinations and has received all her monthly preventatives. If you are interested in learning more about Kylie, send an email to [email protected].

💵 Want to help, but can’t adopt? There are plenty of opportunities to support Gomita and other pets awaiting their forever home. PAR also needs sponsors and volunteers to help with dog walking and charm school. Find out how you can help!

RMI LIVE MUSIC LINEUP

We do our best to get the most up to date information from the venues and bands. However, we are fully into low season and bookings may change at the last minute. We will do our best to keep the list up to date HERE.

If you are performing in Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Paamul, Puerto Aventuras or Akumal and would like to see your live music, karaoke or open mic night included in the RMI weekly newsletter, please submit your information for consideration.

Thursday July 3

Puerto Morelos

Playa del Carmen

Puerto Aventuras

Friday July 4

Puerto Morelos

Playa del Carmen

Puerto Aventuras

Saturday July 5

Puerto Morelos

Playa del Carmen

Puerto Aventuras

Akumal

Lol Ha | Natalie & Mauro | 6 - 8PM

Sunday July 6

Puerto Morelos

Playa del Carmen

Puerto Aventuras

Akumal / Tulum

Kay Beach Club | Mr Rojo | 1 - 3PM
Casa Cenote | Natalie & RASH | 1 - 3PM

🌟 If you are looking for all the most up-to-date live music events click on the button below. As additions and changes are made throughout the week, the page linked below will be editted to give you the most up to date listings.

Are you enjoying the RMI Live Music Lineup?

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