ARCHIVED - February 18 to 26 Carnival 2023 in Santiago de la Ribera

The main Carnival parade in Santiago this year is on February 26

The Carnival celebrations in Santiago de la Ribera, on the coast of the Mar Menor in the municipality of San Javier, are among the noisiest and most colourful in the Region of Murcia to celebrate the beginning of Lent (40 days before Easter), and this year the party includes a series of activities, concluding with the Grand Carnival parade itself.

This year the celebrations begin in earnest on February 18 with a gala and fried egg dinner (!) and come to an end on February 26 with the grand parade. This is traditionally the last main Carnival parade in the Region, and the aim is to attract as many peñas (Carnival troupes) as possible from other areas for just one more quiver of that feather boa before it’s down to Lent and, supposedly, 40 days of abstinence.

Most of the events are focused around the large marquee set up in the Jardines Príncipe de Asturias, alongside the Explanada Barnuevo in Santiago de la Ribera, and although many of them are for the peñas participating in the Carnival, other events are open to anyone who wants to come along. The whole celebration culminates in the grand parade, which is always a hugely popular event for expats and visitors to the municipality as well as those who live in San Javier and Santiago de la Ribera.

The schedule for Carnival 2023 in Santiago de la Ribera includes the following:

February 18

23.00: Official presentation of the 2023 Carnival poster and a Fried Egg dinner in the marquee outside the Centro Cívico Príncipe de Asturias.

February 19

12.00: Canine Carnival for pets and their owners on the Explanada Barnuevo.

17.30: Gala to choose the children’s 2023 Carnival Queen in the marquee outside the Centro Cívico Príncipe de Asturias.

February 21

12.00: Pasabares Carnavalero in the marquee outside the Centro Cívico Príncipe de Asturias (admission 17 euros).

17.30: Children’s Carnival party in the marquee outside the Centro Cívico Príncipe de Asturias.

February 22

17.30: Carnival party for local societies and associations in the marquee outside the Centro Cívico Príncipe de Asturias.

February 23

22.00: Music from Chirigota groups in the marquee outside the Centro Cívico Príncipe de Asturias.

February 24

22.00: Gala to choose the Drag Queen of the 2023 Carnival in the marquee outside the Centro Cívico Príncipe de Asturias.

February 26

16.00: The Grand Carnival parade, starting in Avenida Sandoval next to the statue of Santiago.

For more upcoming events in the Region of Murcia go to the What’s on section of Murcia Today.