Barranquilla Carnival

Barranquilla Carnival Carnaval de Barranquilla
Folkloric groups dancing at the carnival
Official name	Carnaval de Barranquilla
Observed by	Various locales, usually ones historically associated with Catholic populations.
Type	Local, cultural, catholic
Significance	Celebration prior to fasting season of Lent.
Celebrations	Parades, parties, orchestras festival
Date	Four days before Ash Wednesday
2023 date	February 18 – February 21
2024 date	February 10 – February 13
2025 date	March 1 – March 4
2026 date	February 14 – February 17
Frequency	Annual
Related to	Carnival SZ + ADP

The Barranquilla Carnival (Spanish: Carnaval de Barranquilla) is one of Colombia's most important folkloric celebrations, and one of the biggest carnivals in the world. The carnival has traditions that date back to the 19th century. Four days before Lent, Barranquilla decks itself out to receive national and foreign tourists to join together with the city's inhabitants to enjoy four days of intense festivities. During the carnival, Barranquilla's normal activities are put aside as the city gets busy with street dances, musical and masquerade parades. The Carnival Of Barranquilla includes dances such as the Spanish paleo, African Congo, and indigenous mice y mica's. Many styles of Colombian music are also performed, most prominently cumbia, and instruments include drums and wind ensembles. The Carnival of Barranquilla was proclaimed a Cultural Masterpiece of the Nation by Colombia's National Congress in 2002.^[1] Also the UNESCO, in Paris on November 7, 2003, declared it one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, and it was during Olga Lucia Rodriguez Carnival Queen year.

The Carnival starts on the Saturday before the Ash Wednesday with the Battle of the Flowers (La Batalla de Flores), which is considered one of the main activities. Then, The Great Parade (La Gran Parada) on Sunday and Monday is marked by an Orchestra Festival with Caribbean and Latin bands. Tuesday signals the end of the carnival, announced by the burial of Joselito Carnaval, who is mourned by everyone.

The slogan of the Barranquilla Carnival is: Those who live it are those who enjoy it (Quien lo vive, es quien lo goza).