Barcelona Mardi Gras 2017

What you can’t miss around Barcelona

Mardi Gras, or as we call it, Carnival, is approaching! Next weekend, this celebration will take place all around the world. Spain and Barcelona aren’t exceptions, so this is the last call to get your costumes ready.

In this post, we will give you some insights about Mardi Gras in and around Barcelona; which Mardi Gras celebrations are a must see and what you can’t miss.

Mardi Gras in Barcelona

Barcelona’s Mardi Gras has different celebrations depending on the district, but all of them have two events in common that we love, as they are related to food. First of all, a contest of Spanish omelets takes place. Each participant cooks an omelet with different ingredients and decorations but always with the shape of a Spanish omelet. These contests are always coming about the exact same day of Mardi Gras, this year on Thursday, 23^rd of February.

Secondly, Mardi Gras arrives to every market of the city. The market sellers run a contest of the best costumes they wear and the best decorated stall. Everybody can go to the market places and vote for the best ones. It is a very nice celebration as everybody is dressed up, there is music around and a lot of festivity.

The most traditional celebrations in the center of Barcelona for Mardi Gras are Arribo and La Taronjada. On the first day of Mardi Gras Week both events are taking place, during Arribo, the King Carnestoltes makes a triumphal entrance with musicians, flags, giants… After this Parade, La Taronjada (The Orangeade) takes place. It is an innocent battle of orange balloons and confetti among the public and participants of the previous Parade. Originally, real oranges were thrown!

In this link you can see all the program for Mardi Gras Week, all the Parades and events taking place around the city: http://lameva.barcelona.cat/culturapopular/en/festivals-and-traditions/barcelona-carnival.

Mardi Gras in Sitges

The most known Mardi Gras around Barcelona is in Sitges, 45 minutes away from our city. The beautiful city plus the spectacular Parades make a perfect combination during a week, from the 23^rd February until the 1^st March. As in Barcelona, it starts with Arribo; however, the amazing Parades happen on Sunday 26^th February with Disbauxa’s Parade and on Tuesday 28^th February with Extermini’s Parade. In Sitges there is also a cool race where each group decorate a bed; the best decorated and the first that finishes the race win. As in all the cities celebrating this event, there is also a Mardi Gras Parade for children.

There is the whole program of Sitges’ Mardi Gras in the following link: http://www.visitsitges.com/en/carnaval-sitges-2017.

Mardi Gras in Vilanova i la Geltrú

Vilanova i la Geltrú celebrates a traditional Mardi Gras with different events you will not probably see any other place. La Merengada is one of the most famous celebrations where people throw to each other meringue; one battle is done among kids and another during the night among adults.

Les Comparses is an icon of Vilanova’s Mardi Gras, they start with a Parade and finish with a battle of candies among them. It is a very spectacular event that takes place in the main square and there is a lot of public around the battle watching it.

Vilanova i la Geltrú’s program is explained in the following link: http://www.carnavaldevilanova.cat/index.php/carnaval-2017/programa.