The Barcelona Carnival 2023 is back for another year. There will be seven days of fun and a full and varied program of activities from February 16 to 22, 2023.
There will be parades, workshops, costume parties, music, tortilla contests, masked dances in every corner of the city.
Historically, the first known records of the Barcelona Carnival date back to 1333 through a provision of the Council of One Hundred.
The rule prohibited the throwing of oranges and regulated the use of masks by citizens. Carnival began on All Saints’ Day and the party was not for days, but for months.
But it was not until the 16th century that the Carnival celebration began to be more similar to what it is known today.
By the 19th century, costumes became popular and Carnival reached its peak.
However, during the years of Franco’s dictatorship, no official celebration of the event took place. It was not until 1980 that it recovered.
Barcelona Carnival 2023: program highlights
Thursday, February 16, 2023
This day officially begins the Carnival of Barcelona, the Dijous Gras (Thursday Lardero). This day is very popular because they eat the typical omelette and butifarra d’ou or egg butifarra. In the afternoon, the “Arrival” of King Carnival and his ambassadors to the city (King Carnastoltes and his seven ambassadors) takes place. The ambassadors represent the seven historical towns of Barcelona and also the seven deadly sins.
They are responsible for opening the grand parade better known as the “Parade of the Seven Ambassadors” that runs through the streets of the Gothic Quarter to the Plaça Sant Jaume. Then, from the balcony of the City Hall, Carnestoltes publicly proclaims seven days of revelry and excesses of the carnival.00
Saturday, February 18, 2023
On Saturday afternoon “Las Ruas de Carnaval” take place where each neighborhood participates in the parades thanks to its own initiative. Parades, floats and costumes where the great creativity and imagination of the neighbors can be appreciated.
Sunday, February 19, 2023
On Sunday afternoon, the “Parade of the Carnival King and the orangeade” (Desfilada del Rei Carnestoltes i la taronjada) will begin. In this event, the Carnival King is accompanied by all his ambassadors and once the parade ends, the biggest and most authentic festive battle begins. In the popular “Taronjada”, a pitched battle of confetti and orange balloons.
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
It corresponds to Ash Wednesday when the Burial of the Sardine takes place. Here a satirical funeral procession takes place in an emblematic place of Barcelona. Thus, King Carnival bids farewell until next year, ending the days of unbridled madness.
