{"id":2240,"date":"2020-02-26T05:09:32","date_gmt":"2020-02-26T05:09:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spanishworldgroup.com\/my\/?p=2240"},"modified":"2025-08-12T10:27:47","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T02:27:47","slug":"what-is-el-carnaval","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spanishworldgroup.com\/my\/what-is-el-carnaval\/","title":{"rendered":"What is El Carnaval?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2242″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Foto por @ugurarpaci<\/p>\n

Carnaval is one of the most fun and important parties on the planet, but especially in Latin culture. It is a celebration that is lived in the street, where people dress up in colourful costumes and masks, in addition to non-stop singing and dancing!<\/span><\/p>\n

But from where and when did Carnaval originate?<\/b><\/h3>\n

The origin of the event is shrouded in the mists of history… but it’s believed to have originated with the pagan festivals of ancient Egypt, more than 5000 years ago.\u00a0 From there the tradition passed to the Roman Empire, and then to all of Europe. <\/span><\/p>\n

Carnaval arrived in the Americas with the Spanish and Portuguese colonizers of the 15th century.\u00a0 And, although the church does not admit it as a religious holiday, the reality is that it maintains a strong presence in the predominantly Catholic countries.<\/span><\/p>\n

How is this party celebrated in the Hispanic World?<\/b><\/h3>\n

In <\/span>Spain<\/b>, people start preparing months in advance, as many people create their elaborate costumes themselves.\u00a0 Groups of friends may come together to create <\/span>chirigotas<\/span><\/i>, humorous songs, which are then sung in local competitions.<\/span><\/p>\n

The party begins before <\/span>Cuaresma<\/span><\/i>, with the famous <\/span>Lardero Thursday,<\/span><\/i> and ends on <\/span>Miercoles de<\/span><\/i> Cenizas <\/span><\/i>(Ash Wednesday)<\/span>\u00a0with the <\/span>Entierro de la Sardina <\/em>(the Burial of the Sardine) a procession which culminates in the burning of a large (fake) sardine – a symbolic “burial” of the past, and a chance for all to start anew.\u00a0 In Spain, you’ll see the events at their grandest scale when you visit:<\/p>\n