The
Carnival time in Barcelona is the time of joy and celebration. It ends with the
Ash Wednesday and is traditionally known as the “last celebration” before the
40-day period of the Lent, run up to Easter. “El Carnaval” in Spanish, starts on
the 27th of February with the “Fat Thursday”. As the name itself tells, this day is all
about eating and drinking. The first parades are celebrated with the arrival of
the King of the Carnival and this celebration also opens the whole Carnival
celebration week.
On the
following days there are also many parades held in different areas of Barcelona
where many decorated and colorful carriages and carnival groups move down the
streets of the city. It is usual to dress up; there are different markets where
people can try food in the local places, listen to the music, dance and simply
have fun. It is also common to have food competitions in these areas. The
Carnival ends with the Ash Wednesday on the 5th of March, when the “burying
of the sardine” takes place, symbolizing the end of the fun and the carnival. It
will be held in the Park of Ciutadella.
In
Catalunya the most famous Carnival celebration, though, takes place in a nearby
town called Sitges, which is also known as the gay capital in Europe. The
Carnival in Sitges can be also described as a huge and colorful party parade which is about 40 km from Barcelona. However, who decides to stay in the city
has a great choice of special party events offered by the clubs all around
Barcelona.
