Carnivals in Madrid

We know that many of you are traveling this weekend (don’t forget to take awesome pictures for the AU Madrid Photo Contest!). But if you’re staying in Madrid, this information may be useful:

Every year, Madrid celebrates Carnivals with a full program of free, themed activities for all ages. In recent years, the main hub for the festivities has been Matadero Madrid and Madrid Río Park. Take note: the 2026 celebrations will take place from 14 to 18 February! 

Carnivals do not have a fixed date of celebration. As with Holy Week, Carnival is celebrated according to the lunar calendar, which means that the days change from one year to the next. Specifically, Carnival is set 40 days before Holy Thursday, which this year is Thursday April 2.

Madrid Carnivals may not be as spectacular as the Carnivals in Venice, Rio de Janeiro or even Cádiz in Andalucía and Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands, but there are still plenty of interesting things to do during these days.

 

         

You can find the full program here https://www.carnavalmadrid.com/#programa, but here's a brief summary:

• Grand Parade (Feb 14): A large parade with floats and bands from 1 pm to 3 pm, running from Puente de Toledo to the Explanada Negra.
• Events at Matadero Madrid: Expect the official opening speech, concerts, DJ sessions and children’s workshops.
• Traditional Events: Manteo del Pelele (Tossing a dummy) and the Entierro de la Sardina (Burial of the Sardine) on Ash Wednesday, which marks the end of the festivities.

• Activities: The celebration includes murgas and chirigotas (satirical musical groups) and, in recent years, a festive, themed and inclusive atmosphere.
• Atmosphere: While less intense than in other Spanish cities, Madrid’s Carnival is known for its costumes, street parties and, of course, the traditional Burial of the Sardine. What is that? It’s a tradition depicted by Goya in one of his paintings. Costumes are put away, the fanfares fall silent, and the sardine is buried with honors to mark the end of the celebrations and the beginning of Lent. The satirical funeral procession usually starts at Plaza de San Antonio de la Florida. Later, the sardine is traditionally buried at the Pajarito Fountain in Plaza de las Moreras in Casa de Campo Park. An impressive bonfire closes the ceremony, symbolically driving away evil and negative thoughts, with the ashes representing happiness, peace and harmony.

And something outside the official program, and less traditional but also very popular from 1981, is the Ball at the Círculo de Bellas Artes (Marqués de Casa Riera 4). It will take place on 14 February from 10:30 pm to 6:00 am. More information here and tickets here: https://www.circulobellasartes.com/fiestas/un-carnaval-legendario-2026/

        

Carnivals and Gastronomy

 

You have probably heard of the Carnivals in Venice or in Rio de Janeiro, but there are also famous ones in Spain, such as those in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and those in Cádiz. What is the origin of this party? Although it seems to have its origin in certain pagan festivals from Roman times, the carnivals themselves are born in the Middle Ages, with the expansion of Christianity. The festival took the name of carnival, which comes from carnem levare in latin, which means "give up meat". This is so because this event was celebrated days before Ash Wednesday, the start date of  Lent until Resurrection Sunday, a period of abstinence and fasting. In that festival, absolutely everything was allowed and people covered their faces or went in disguise, so as not to be recognized.

Carnivals do not have a fixed date of celebration. As with Holy Week, Carnival is celebrated according to the lunar calendar, which means that the days change from one year to the next. Specifically, Carnival is set 40 days before Holy Thursday, which this year is Thursday April 6. Therefore, in 2023 the Carnival began on Thursday February 16 and will last until Wednesday February 22.

The "Burial of the Sardine" is a ceremony that announces the end of Carnival in various parts of Spain and Latin America. It usually consists of a carnival parade that parodies a funeral procession and ends with the burning of some symbolic figure, generally representing a sardine. The carnivalesque burial of the sardine is traditionally celebrated on Ash Wednesday. The Past is symbolically buried, so that people and society can be reborn with greater force. The Madrid Carnival will end with this popular burial and a parade, starting in San Antonio de la Florida and ending in la Fuente de los Pajaritos. A new edition of the gastronomic route 'We're going for sardines!' returns.

Starting Thursday February 16, more than a hundred establishments, distributed among market stalls, pastry shops, restaurants and hotels are taking part in a gastronomic route that is already in its fourth edition. It bears the name of "We're going for sardines!". Some dishes have this fish as the main ingredient, but others are sweets imitating the shape of the fish. Here you can find the list of establishments that participate in this gastronomic route: https://masinteresmadrid.com/adjuntos/19227/Ruta_gastronomica_Sardina_Carnaval_2023_programa.pdf

Tradition and Modernity: Carnivals and the Japan Weekend!

 

Traditional Carnival celebrations are drawing to a close when it is time for the Burial of the Sardine, a tradition captured by Goya in one of his paintings. This year it will be celebrated tomorrow Wednesday February 14th. If you want to know more about the origin of Carnival celebrations and learn some history, take a look to our previous post: https://exploringwithauspain.blogspot.com/search?q=sardine 

 

Would you like to participate? Check the itinerary and the time here (two options: 11am-3:00pm and 6:00pm-9:00pm): https://www.carnavalmadrid.com/evento/tradicional-entierro-de-la-sardina-1

And if anime is your favorite drawing style, you listen to J-pop, and cosplay is your way of understanding fashion even for everyday life, don't miss the new edition of Japan Weekend Madrid, which returns with an event full of activities. The entire program, on the official website: https://www.japanweekend.com/madrid/

Carnival and Other Ideas for the Weekend

Of course, one of the star cultural activities these days will be the Carnivals, which in Madrid are a bit peculiar (nothing to do with Rio 😉). If you want to read a very brief explanation about their origin you can find it in an old post on our blog: https://exploringwithauspain.blogspot.com/2023/02/carnivals-and-gastronomy.html

This year it will be from March 1 to 5. From Carnival Friday to Ash Wednesday, Madrid surrenders year after year to the party of the game of identities, with parties, parades, musical performances and many more activities. Do you remember that in the previous post I told you about the beautiful Matadero cultural center? Well, that will be where most of the activities will be held. You can find all the information in English here: https://www.esmadrid.com/en/whats-on/carnaval-madrid

I've been told that the Iberian Experience group is going to participate in the Burial of the Sardine! On that website you can see some photos and read about the "burial", but also about the previous days, the parade, the music groups, dance, theatre, magic...

📍 Location: Matadero (and much more). Metro Legazpi, lines 3 and 6.

📅 Dates: March 1-5, 2025.

💸 Price: free entry.

Another option for the weekend is the following: The Vegan Association of Madrid organizes Madrid Vegan Market, a vegan market that this Sunday (from 10:00 to 16:00) returns for its third edition with different stalls that will show food products, cosmetics, gastro area... there will also be talks. We will find the delights of Freedom Cakes, Urban Nomad Cooking, Good Shit Vegan Kebabs, Vegasun and Vegasauria or Pastelería Macchi, among others.

📍 Location: Espacio Rastro, on Calle San Cayetano, 5 (La Latina)

📅 Dates: Sunday March 2, 2025.

💸 Price: free entry.

And if you want to travel nearby: Chinchón, considered one of the most beautiful towns in the Community of Madrid, is celebrating its traditional Medieval Market once again this year. Jugglers, knights, musicians and itinerant artists will fill its streets with life and activities – check out the full programme here –. They will also be joined by craft stalls, traditional cuisine and a children's area for this date with the past.

📍 Location: Various locations in Chinchón

📅 Dates: From February 28 to March 2, 2025