Although now six centuries old, it is still new and fresh each year. February is here and that means its Carnival time in Cádiz when the city becomes the stage and its citizens take on the leading roles.

The locals have been waiting all year for this month to arrive so they can put on their fancy dress and go out and enjoy themselves. Celebrations take place all over the city, but the party atmosphere is most intense in the neighbourhoods in the historical old town, particularly La Viña, where you can really feel the true spirit of the Carnival of Cádiz. It is an experience not to be missed.

Parades, performances, food and drink…it is difficult to define carnival, particularly in Cádiz. Although the festivities officially take place from 15-25 February, these dates are slightly misleading since, in reality, carnival fever has been building up since 22 January when the Falla competition began. Nor do the popular street celebrations really finish on the dates given.

Although the fireworks display at the castle on Sunday 25th (domingo de piñata) officially marks the end of this year’s festivities, there is another small carnival the following weekend popularly known as “carnival chiquito” or “carnival de los jartibles”, where those who just can’t get enough of carnival take to the streets for one last hurrah. 

Food, drink and tourism

Carnival is much more than a fiesta or a cultural event, and over the years it has become a unique extravaganza which attracts thousands of visitors.

Hotels and all other accommodation in the Bay of Cádiz are completely full, making February one of Cádiz’s most lucrative winter months. And with the celebrations taking place outside on the streets of the city, local restaurants, bars and cafeterias also make a killing.

After the gastronomic events leading up to carnival, the “pestiñada”, the “ostionada” and the “erizada”, where honey-coated sweets, local oysters and sea urchins are eaten respectively (see Heracles nº 6), Cádiz’s famous theatre “El Gran Teatro Falla” becomes the focus of attention, with carnival fervour building to a crescendo with the final of the carnival competition. By then, hundreds of “cuartetos”, “chirigotas”, “comparsas” and “coros”, the four types of musical formats, will have competed on the stage of the theatre, exhibiting their talent and sharp wit, lampooning and satirising, in good humour, local, national and international events, figures and idiosyncrasies.

Although 16 February is the night of final, it in fact marks the beginning of the real street carnival where the people now become the leading players.

On the 17 February Pasión Vega, the singer from Málaga, officially opens the festivities with a speech (“pregón”) given in front of the crowds of people who congregate in San Antonio Square. Meanwhile, a few minutes away, in Valcárcel the competition of “romanceros” takes place.

This is another typical event where individuals take to the streets, armed only with a pointer and a portable notice board, tell witty, often bawdy, satirical stories, usually based on recent events. The art of the “romancero” i