Carnival in Badajoz
In February, the streets of Badajoz fill with color and original costumes. This is one of the most important and best-known carnivals in Spain.
The Carnival of Badajoz is one of the most important and best-known carnivals in Spain. It is held in February, in the days before Lent.
Months in advance, groups meet to design and make the costumes they will wear in the contest. At the same time, street bands rehearse their satirical lyrics for the Street Bands Contest at the López de Ayala Theater.
But the real essence of the carnival is in the street. People from Badajoz and visitors from all over Spain use basic clothes to create funny characters, and the whole city fills with color and music.
The city comes alive with the carnival, and both the historic streets and the main avenues fill with people.
On Sunday, the well-known Group Parade takes place. Groups from Badajoz and from the whole province take part, showing colorful, original costumes with choreography and drum music.
On Monday, people return to the streets for the last night, until Tuesday morning, when the sardine is buried.
The burning of the sardine marks the beginning of Lent and the end of the festival: a puppet shaped like a sardine is burned, and people say goodbye to the carnival until the following year.