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Carnival 2023 is the World’s Biggest Latin Party

Carnival, Carnaval, Carnevale is the world's biggest Latin party (Natalya Erofeeva/Dreamstime)

Carnival, Carnaval, Carnevale is the world's biggest Latin party (Natalya Erofeeva/Dreamstime)

Carnival 2023 in the Americas is a unique celebration of freedom that blends European, African Diaspora and Indigenous traditions.

Carnival in the Americas is more African Diaspora. Some South American carnivals are more Indigenous.

New York Carnival is over Labor Day Weekend in September.

Pre-Lenten Carnival preparations start on January 6, the end of Christmas. In Brazil, very little work gets down between Christmas and Carnival.

Many carnivals hold events in the month before the climax.

Carnival Tuesday is February 21, 2023.

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Carnival Features

Carnival Archive

Carnival News

December 2022

Putignano Carnival 2022 is in Putignano, Italy; from December 12, 2022 – February 25, 2023. 🇮🇹

January 2023

Black and White Pasto Carnival 2023 is in Pasto, Colombia; from January 2-7, 2023.

Guadalupe Carnival 2023 is in Basse Terre; from January 6-21, 2023. 🇫🇷

New Orleans Mardi Gras 2023; is January 6 – February 21, 2023. 🇺🇸

Gualeguaychú Carnival 2023 is in Gualeguaychú, Argentina; from January 7 – February 28, 2023. It’s the world’s longest carnival. 🇦🇷

Encarnacion Carnival 2023 is in Encarnacion, Paraguay; from January 11-18, 2023. 🇵🇾

Limoux Carnival 2023 is in Limoux, France; from January 15 – March 25, 2023. 🇫🇷

Montevideo Carnival 2023 is in Montevideo, Uruguay; from January 19 – February 28, 2023. 🇺🇾

Tenerife Carnival 2023 is in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain; from January 20 – February 26, 2023. 🇮🇨

February 2023

Ovar Carnival 2023 is in Ovar, Portugal; from February 1 – March 5, 2023. 🇵🇹

Aruba Carnival 2023 is in Oranjestad; from February 1-28, 2023. 🇦🇼

Quebec Winter Carnival 2023, the world’s biggest winter carnival, is in Quebec, Canada; from February 3-12, 2023. 🇨🇦

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival 2023 is in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain; from February 4 – March 10, 2023. 🇪🇸

Viareggio Carnival 2023 is in Viareggio, Italy; from February 4-25, 2023. 🇮🇹

Carnival Vegano 2023, the Dominican Republic’s main carnival, is in La Vega, every Sunday, February 5, 12, 19 and 26, with a special climax on Dominican Independence Day, Monday, February 27, 2023. 🇩🇴

Foiano della Chiana Carnival 2023 is in Foiano della Chiana, Italy; from February 6 – March 5, 2023. 🇮🇹

Nice Carnival 2023 is in Nice, France; from February 10-26, 2023. 🇫🇷

Venice Carnival 2023 is in Venice, Italy; from February 11-21, 2023. 🇮🇹

The Menton Lemon Festival 2023 is in Menton, France; from February 11-26, 2023. 🇫🇷

Sitges Carnival 2023 is in Sitges, Spain; from February 15-22, 2023. 🇪🇸

Trinidad Carnival 2023 is in Port of Spain, Trinidad; from February 15-23, 2023. 🇹🇹

Aguilas Carnival 2023 is in Aguilas, Spain; from February 16-22, 2023. 🇪🇸

Cadiz Carnival 2023 is in Cadiz, Spain; from February 16-23, 2023. 🇪🇸

Cozumel Carnival 2023 is in Cozumel, México; from February 16-21, 2023. 🇲🇽

Haiti Carnival 2023 is in Port-au-Prince; from February 16-21, 2023. Haiti is troubled right now, so nobody really knows if this is on. 🇭🇹

Martinique Carnival 2023 is in Fort-De-France, Martinique; from Thursday – Wednesday, February 16-22, 2023. 🇲🇶

Mazatlan Carnival 2023 is in Mazatlan, Mexico; from February 16-21, 2023. 🇲🇽

Oruro Carnival 2023 is in Oruro, Bolivia; from February 16-22, 2023. 🇧🇴

São Paulo Carnival 2023 is in São Paulo, Brazil; from February 16-21, 2023. 🇧🇷

Torello Carnival 2023 (Carnaval de Terra Endlins) is in Torello, Spain; from February 16-22, 2023. 🇪🇸

Fortaleza Carnival 2023 is in Fortaleza, Brazil; from February 17-22, 2023. 🇧🇷

Lafayette Mardi Gras 2023 is in Lafayette, Louisiana; from February 17-21, 2023. 🇺🇸

Ouro Preto Carnival 2023 is in Ouro Preto, Brazil; from February 17-21, 2023. 🇧🇷

Recife and Olinda Carnival 2023 is in Recife, Brazil; February 17-22, 2023. 🇧🇷

Rio De Janeiro Carnival 2023 is in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; from February 17-25, 2023. There is sort of a champions parade on the weekend after Carnival Tuesday. 🇧🇷

Salvador Carnival 2023 is in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil; from February 17-21, 2023. 🇧🇷

Barranquilla Carnival 2023 builds to a climax in Barranquilla, Colombia; from Saturday-Tuesday February 18-21, 2023. 🇨🇴

Goa Carnival 2023 is in Goa, India; from February 18-21, 2023. 🇮🇳

Ivrea Carnival 2023 is in Ivrea, Italy; on February 18-21, 2023. 🇮🇹

[To be confirmed]
Ponce Carnival 2023 (Carnaval Ponceño) is in Ponce, Puerto Rico; from Saturday-Tuesday, February 18-21, 2023. 🇵🇷

Las Tablas Carnival 2023 is in Las Tablas, Panama; from February 19-22, 2023. 🇵🇦

Carriacou Carnival Grenada 2023 is Monday-Tuesday, February 20-21, 2023. 🇬🇩

El Callao Carnival 2023 is in El Callao, Venezuela; from February 20-26, 2023. 🇻🇪

Carnival Tuesday 2023 is Tuesday, February 21, 2023.

Mashramani Carnival 2023 is in Georgetown, Guyana; from February 23-24, 2023. 🇬🇾

Santo Domingo Carnival 2023 combines the climax of Dominican Carnival, with Dominican Independence Day celebrations in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; on Sunday, February 26, 2023. 🇩🇴

March 2023

Maspalomas Carnival 2023 is in Maspalomas, Spain; from March 9-19, 2023. 🇪🇸

Annecy Carnival 2023 is in Annecy, France; from March 3-5, 2023. 🇫🇷

Cape Town Carnival 2023 is in Cape Town, South Africa; on March 18, 2023. 🇿🇦

April 2023

Jamaica Carnival 2023 is in Kingston; from April 12-18, 2023. 🇯🇲

Bahamas Carnival 2023 is in Nassau; from April 28 – May 3, 2023. 🇧🇸

May 2023

La Ceiba Carnival 2023 is in La Ceiba, Honduras; from May 6-20, 2023. 🇭🇳

Braccanal Carnival 2023 is in Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands; from May 11-15, 2023. 🇰🇾

Batabano Carnival 2023 is in George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands in May. Date TBD. 🇰🇾

Guyana Carnival 2023 is in Georgetown, Guyana; usually in May. Date TBD. 🇬🇾

Harare International Carnival 2023 is in Harare, Zimbabwe; usually in May. Date TBD. 🇿🇼

St Maarten Carnival 2023 is in Philipsburg on the Dutch side of Saint-Martin; usually in May. Date TBD. 🇳🇱

St Thomas Carnival 2023 is in the U.S. Virgin Islands; usually in May. Date TBD. 🇺🇸

June 2023

Diablos of Yare Carnival 2023 is in San Francisco, Venezuela; on June 8, 2023. 🇻🇪

Bermuda Heroes Weekend Carnival 2023 is in Hamilton; from June 16-19, 2023. 🇧🇲

St John Carnival 2023 is in the US Virgin Islands; from June 25 – July 4, 2023. 🇺🇸

Veracruz Carnival 2023 is in Veracruz, Mexico; from June 29 – July 5, 2023. 🇲🇽

Vincy Mas Carnival 2023 is in Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines; from June 30 – July 14, 2023. 🇻🇨

CayMAS Carnival 2023 is in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands around the end of June and beginning of July. Date TBD. 🇰🇾

July 2023

Carifiesta Montréal 2023 is in Montréal, Canada; in July. Date TBD. 🇨🇦

Paris Tropical Carnival 2023 is in Paris, France; usually in July. Date TBD. 🇫🇷

Havana Carnival 2023 is in Cuba, from July 1 – August 30, 2023. 🇨🇺

The Heiva Festival 2023 is in Papeete, Tahiti; from July 1-31,2023. 🇵🇫

St Lucia Carnival 2023 is in Castries, St Lucia; from July 12-19, 2023. 🇱🇨

Virgin of La Tirana Festival 2023 is in La Tirana, Chile; from July 15-17, 2023. 🇨🇱

Santiago de Cuba Carnival 2023 is from July 17-27, 2023. 🇨🇺

Anguilla Summer Festival 2023 is in The Valley; from July 30 – August 7, 2023. 🇦🇮

August 2023

Toronto Caribbean Carnival 2023 (Caribana) is in Toronto, Canada; from August 3-7, 2023. 🇨🇦

Crop Over Festival 2023 is in Bridgetown, Barbados; from August 7-14, 2023. 🇧🇧

Notting Hill Carnival 2023 is in Notting Hill, London; from August 27-28, 2023. 🇬🇧

September 2023

New York Carnival 2023 is in Crown Heights, Brooklyn; from Friday-Monday, September 1 – 4, 2023. 🇺🇸🗽

The West Indian Day Parade 2023, the climax of New York Carnival, is in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, on Labor Day, September 4, 2023. 🇺🇸🗽

October 2023

Miami Carnival 2023 is in Miami, Florida; from October 6-9, 2023. 🇺🇸

Nairobi Mardi Gras 2023 is in Nairobi, Kenya; usually in October. Date TBD. 🇰🇪

The NOLA Caribbean Festival 2023 is in New Orleans, Louisiana in October. Date TBD. 🇺🇸

December 2023

Calabar Carnival 2023 is in Calabar, Nigeria; from December 1-31, 2023. 🇳🇬

Saint Kitts & Nevis Carnival 2023 is in Basseterre in December (December 24 – January 2, 2023). Date TBD. 🇰🇳

Junkanoo Bahamas Carnival 2023 is in Nassau in December (December 26, 2022 – January 1, 2023). Date TBD. 🇧🇸

Carnival Characters

Every country, region, and small town has their own carnival characters.

  • Carnival Queen
  • Marimonda is an iconic Colombian carnival character. 🇨🇴
  • King Momo is the Caribbean Carnival king.

About Carnival

Carnival originates in the Greco-Roman Saturnalia tradition. Winter is the reverse of summer and carnival is a reversal festival. Social traditions are relaxed and people of all classes can mix freely. Rich become poor, poor become rich, and we all party together.

In the Americas, carnival blended with African Diaspora and Indigenous traditions into a unique celebration of freedom. All non-European culture was suppressed in the Colonial Era. Carnival was the only time we were allowed to celebrate our own traditions. Rumba, merengue, salsa, cumbia, bomba, samba, jazz, and a lot of Latin music and dance are rooted in carnival.

Traditional carnival is a pre-Lenten celebration. We feast before the winter meat goes bad (la carne va, “the meat goes”). Former English and Dutch colonies move the festival to other times of the year.

Trinidad Carnival is the “Mother of Caribbean Carnival.” It began on French plantations around 1777. The tradition started with people mocking French Mardi Gras masquerades at home, and bloomed with abolition in 1833. New York Carnival follows Trinidad traditions. So does London’s famous Notting Hill Carnival. 🇹🇹🗽🇬🇧

Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro Carnival is the world’s biggest carnival. The Sambadrome stadiums are unique. Carnival came to Brazil with Portuguese colonizers from Mother Africa’s Atlantic islands around 1723. Brazilian carnival music is samba which came to Brazil with Central Africa’s Kongo culture.

Samba was suppressed until one woman, Tía Ciata (1854-1924), brought the tradition from Bahia to Rio, where she ran a secret samba house. She kept the authorities off by playing choro (sounds like New Orleans jazz) in the house, while the samba was in the backyard. After Tía Ciata cured a Brazilian president’s unhealable wound, the government decided around 1917 to promote samba as a way to craft a Brazilian identity out of the country’s incredible diversity. It began sponsoring samba competitions. 🇧🇷

Americans may be more familiar with New Orleans Mardi Gras. It derives from Haitian Diaspora traditions. 🇺🇸

Patron saint festivals (fiestas patronales) are small town carnivals that take place all year long across the Latin world. The ones in Puerto Rico are great. 🇵🇷

There is so much going on, that carnival is a deep dive into Latin culture that is really fun!

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