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Date Published: 19/01/2023

ARCHIVED - January 19-February 26 All the key dates for the Carnaval de Cadiz carnival 2023

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Dress up, see the unique local singing groups and feel the excitement of the Cadiz carnaval this January and February

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - January 19-February 26 All the key dates for the Carnaval de Cadiz carnival 2023

Carnival time is Spain is always an exciting event and, along with Gran Canaria and Águilas, the Carnaval de Cádiz is one of the biggest and most spectacular carnival celebrations in the country.

Last year, there were two carnivals in the city of Cadiz – one official one and one informal one, to make up for the fact that in 2021 the carnival was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now, in 2023, the city is preparing its carnival celebrations, which will be back to normal this January and February. The main week of celebrations is from Friday February 17 to Sunday 26, with a local public bank holiday on Monday February 20, but there will be other events taking place from January 19.

The main highlights of the carnival are the food stalls; the singing groups that write and perform their own comedy songs (called ‘chirigotas’) in the streets, which are an art form in themselves and for which they compete for the best and funniest; and the fact that absolutely everyone, young and old, dresses up in a fancy dress costume.

Here are the main dates for all the best Cádiz carnival events for 2023:

Calendar of singing competitions 2023

January 19 and 20: Children’s semi-finals, at 6pm
January 21-February 4: Adult Preliminaries with 15 sessions starting at 8.30pm
January 28 and 29: Junior semi-finals at 4pm
February 5: Children’s final
February 6-11: Quarter-finals, six sessions with a maximum of 56 groups
February 12: Junior final
February 13-15: Adult Semi-Finals, three sessions with a maximum of 32 groups
February 17: Adult Grand Final

Dates of the food events and Street Carnival main event

February 4 in the Plaza de San Francisco, the XXXIII Pestiñada Popular: Pestiños and anisette are handed out.
February 5 in the Santa María neighbourhood, Popular Mussel Festival: Free tasting of mussels, beer and local wine. In the Plaza de la Catedral, the Second Popular Empanada. Free Galician empanada from the famous Casa Hidalgo bakery and Cruzcampo beer will be handed out. A sample of the different types of Carnival in Cádiz takes part in this activity.
February 11: in the La Viña neighbourhood, Erizada Popular.
February 12: the Popular Gambada in the Peña La Perla de Cádiz and the XXXV Popular Ostionada in the Plaza de San Antonio, with a tasting of oysters, roasted peppers and beer and the performance of carnival groups.
February 18: Proclamation of the Carnival of Cádiz in the Plaza de San Antonio, by Joaquín Quiñones. In the morning, children’s opening speech in the Glorieta Ana Orante, by Laura Grimaldi and Claudia Pastrana. Battle of coplas with groups from the COAC.
February 19: Gran cabalgata parade. Street groups and choirs walking and singing through the streets of the centre of Cádiz. (UNMISSABLE EVENT!)
February 20: Local bank holiday. Street groups and choirs walking and singing through the streets of the centre of Cádiz. (UNMISSABLE EVENT!)
February 21: Proclamation and burning of the Dios Momo, by Fali Mosquera.
February 24: in Calle Plocia, XXXV Panizada Popular. Paniza is a very typical Cadiz dish, a kind of omelette made with chickpea flour.
February 25: Cavalcade of Humour.
February 26: Street groups and carousel of choirs. Burning of the Pitti Witch. XLV Frito Popular Gaditano of the Peña Carnavalesca La Estrella.