Skip to content 
Carnaval de Barranquilla
When we hear “Carnaval” or “Carnival”, the first place that comes to mind is undoubtedly Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. However, did you know that the second largest celebration in South America of this festive stretch of four days leading up to the holy day of Ash Wednesday is the fantastic Carnaval de Barranquilla in Colombia?
Every year, the Barranquilla Carnival attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists to this beautiful city along the Caribbean coast of Colombia, at the mouth of the Magdalena River. The city transforms in preparation for this around-the-clock spectacle of colorful costumes, masterful music, and incredible dance. There is no lack of tradition and significance behind the Carnival of Barranquilla.
That same richness of ancestral traditions, hand-woven and passed down from generation to generation, can also be felt in the Ecuadorian Andes, in the historic indigenous market of Otavalo, through the Timeless Otavalo Experience.
This event is very much centered around the creation and celebration of different characters that attendees and parade participants alike applaud and impersonate through eye-catching masks and costumes. These characters are the object of both joy and jest; celebrated with very specific costumes, choreographed dances, and music styles. They can form part of what is known as a comparsa, (though comparsas can also be a specific theme or concept and not just a character). Comparsas are the heart of the carnival’s numerous parades, contests, and events.
History of Carnaval de Barranquilla
The Barranquilla Carnival began in the 19th century. Its purpose has always been to celebrate new life, birth, and the arrival of spring. In practice, the festival is a convergence of Catholic beliefs, pagan celebrations, and ethnic cultures, combining traditions from three continents: South America, Africa, and Europe. Though Barranquilla Carnival was initially a holiday celebrated by enslaved people with African and indigenous roots, it evolved into a much larger and quite diverse regional celebration.
[Did you know…?
In 2002, the Colombian Senate proclaimed the Carnaval de Barranquilla a National Cultural Heritage. Just a year or so later, it was declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.]
To trace the history of the festival is to explore the first appearances of many characters, along with the institution of specific events that comprise some of the most celebrated aspects of the Barranquilla Carnival. For instance, one of the event’s most notable comparsas is that of King Momo, dating back to 1888, who features in his very own parade, ushering in the year’s festivities. The character of King Momo is often a congenial, tall, and rotund gentleman, selected for his cheerful disposition and physicality.
As another example, there is the ever-popular Batalla de las Flores (Battle of the Flowers) — a fabulous contest of floats decorated in vibrant flowers that was first celebrated in 1903 as a way to commemorate the end of the Thousand Days War. It features flowers, streamers, and confetti flying freely between competing floats, representing the conflicts hinted at by its name.
Key Events and Activities of Barranquilla Carnival
Thursday and Friday before Carnival
Beginning on the Thursday before carnival, there is a sort of amuse-bouche, a relatively new event called Noche del Río, in which the city begins to awaken through dance, celebrating the rich musical traditions of the Caribbean and Magdalena River communities. Friday follows with a more formal Río de tradiciones (“River of Traditions”), taking place in the early afternoon and featuring a presentation of patrimonial dances and a celebration of culinary delights.
There is more partying in the streets leading up to the Election and Coronation of the Carnival Queen. This tradition dates back to 1918 when Alicia Lafaurie Roncallo was selected as the event’s first “royal”. The outgoing queen officially crowns the new one during an enormous celebration at Barranquilla’s Romelio Martínez Stadium. The new queen is selected from a group of young ladies that belong to the city’s upper class. She presides over Barranquilla Carnival’s many festivities.
Saturday of Carnival
Barranquilla Carnival officially kicks off on Saturday with the Battle of the Flowers (see above), followed by the King Momo Parade (see above). In the evening, the city celebrates a plethora of musical traditions — like cumbias, chandés, and fandangos —, and comedic performances via two competing events: the Noche de Orquestas (“Night of Orchestras”) and the Encuentro de Comedias (“Gathering of Comedies”).
The Encuentro de Comedias is a repeating event (taking place three days in a row) centered around comedy and magic. Over 30 different groups bring to life some of the region’s most curious and hilarious stories through skits, music, dance, and performance art. This event is often geared towards families and lovers of the oral tradition.
Sunday of Carnival
Sunday’s premier event is the Gran Parada de Tradición y Folclore (Great Tradition and Folklore Parade). This event features dance groups, folkloric musicians, and traditional cumbia bands exclusively. It was first celebrated in 1967. In contrast to the ornate floats that one might see in the Batalla de las Flores, this parade features non-amplified orchestras providing the music to which exciting groups of dancers follow closely behind, performing beautifully choreographed dances.
While the Great Tradition and Folklore Parade takes place in the early afternoon, it is followed by more partying in the streets and the Festival de Orquestas (Orchestra Festival), which continues to celebrate the incredibly rich music and dance traditions of the region. Again, attendees of the Carnival of Barranquilla can split their time between this event and another Gathering of Comedies, which takes place at one of the city’s many parks.
The evening’s festivities center around the Festival de Letanías (Festival of Litanies), which celebrates the region’s daily life in all its tedium, modesty, and grandiosity through clever linguistic humor. This is an event that really spotlights the rich traditions of the region, through clever writing, and theatrical delivery. Over 25 groups of orators participate in this highly entertaining event.
Monday of Carnival
Monday brings the arrival of the Gran Parada de Comparsas, Fantasía y Tradición (also known simply as the Grand Fantasy Parade). This parade, as you can imagine, is a visual conglomeration of fantastic costumes, vibrant dance performances, and pulsating music. It is an ongoing feature of the festival, highlighted by its own specific event.
As part of this parade, festival goers are treated to a display of some of the most colorful, ornate, and fantastical costumes worn by dancers belonging to over 100 different folkloric groups. Here, comparsas feature heavily and include popular traditional figures like the Torito de Carnaval, a colorful dance-inspired theme with primarily red- and yellow- costumes that originated in 1878, and Rebelión de Monocucos (the Monocuco Rebellion), a fully costumed garb inspired by the anonymity of the monocuco, a judgmental figure from the time of the Inquisition that, in this context, transcends social norms and creates a little chaos, adding to the flavor of this amazing event.
The evening also brings another Encuentro de Comedias, with even more exciting performances.
Tuesday of Carnival
Finally, as Carnaval de Barranquilla winds down, Tuesday arrives with one of the most peculiar celebrations of all, the Entierro de Joselito Carnaval (the Funeral for Joselito Carnaval). This mock funeral procession symbolizes the end of the festivities and features men dressed as women in histrionic mourning. It is the manifest hangover from all previous days’ parties and celebrations, resembling the ashes of a great bonfire (hinted at through the accompanying motto, “Joselito se va con las cenizas”). Party goers say goodbye to the wonderful comparsas for another year. And it parallels the exhaustion and delight of many a festival goer, relentlessly celebrating the incredible convergence of cultures, colors, sounds, and movement.
Traditional Costumes and Symbols
Apart from those characters previously mentioned above, there are several popular characters that inspire various comparsas. In addition to King Momo, the Carnival Queen, El Torito, and the Monococos, other notable figures include:
La Marimonda, a monkey-elephant hybrid that represents the lower class making fun of higher classes
La Negrita Puloy, a larger-than-life character (in the tradition of Aunt Jamima in the U.S.), she is the fictional — and arguably culturally insensitive — exaggerated personality used to sell a brand of Venezuelan detergent, which was discontinued, though the character was resurrected by Las Negritas Puloy del barrio Montecristo in 1983.
Congo, an African-inspired costumed character with an elaborate yellow cape over a green shirt, with decorative black shorts and frilly pant legs, featuring individually decorated headdresses.
El Garabato, a colorful cowboyesque character that represents the dichotomy between life and death and the triumph of joy over sadness. This personality is imagined to be of African descent and features primarily white face paint.
El Descabezado (the Headless One), this disturbing figure carries a machete in one hand and an exaggerated paper-mâché head in the other. This character’s role in Carnaval de Barranquilla’s many parades is to clear a path wherever they go.
María Moñitos is a lively character, interpreted by men and women alike, with ridiculous wigs of hair, with hundreds of tiny bows of countless colors.
Carnival of Barranquilla’s Culinary Delights
It is impossible to party for four days straight without sustenance. This is where the festival’s culinary delights really shine. Some typical and traditional offerings include:
Sancocho de guandú – a traditional coastal Colombian stew prepared with a thick type of bamboo called guandú, alongside meat, pork, plantain, yucca (cassava root), onion, garlic, pepper, and cilantro.
Mojarra frita con patacones y arroz con coco – this scrumptious saltwater fish (red snapper) is a true delicacy; the whole fish is prepped with lime juice, garlic, salt, and pepper, then fried. It is crispy and flavorful, and it goes very well with patacones (fried plantain) and coconut rice.
Butifarra – a popular sausage prepared from seasoned ground beef and pork, tied off at smaller intervals and typically boiled and served with cassava root (yuca) and freshly squeezed lime.
Casabe – a delicious type of flatbread made from ground cassava root (yuca) in a slightly-oiled skillet, served with fresh guacamole.
Arepuelas – a type of sweet and crunchy arepa, often served with hot chocolate.
If this kind of culinary journey sparks your curiosity, it’s worth knowing that Ecuadorian Andean culinary tradition offers its own version of this feast of flavors, history, and local ingredients: the Cuenca culinary journey invites you to discover that same passion for traditional cooking, now in Ecuadorian lands.
Music and Dance
The organizers of the Carnival of Barranquilla have a very complete and detailed manual for all festival participants (available in Spanish only). According to the guidelines, traditional dances and their corresponding music include cumbiambas, danzas grandes, danzas especiales y de relación. Some of these include: Danza Congo, Danza Garabato, Danza Mapalé, and Cumbia.
Music features throughout the festival, as mentioned in this blog. Expect to hear tons of driving, rhythmic, and pulsing genres, including cumbia, vallenato, salsa, champeta, and of course, reggaetón. Each of these are guaranteed to get your foot tapping, your head bopping, and your hips swaying. Many big names perform in concert throughout Carnival. 2024, for instance, featured popular singers like Rafa Pérez, Omar Enrique, Álvaro Ricardo, and more.
Thankfully, the Carnaval de Barranquilla has a wealth of videos available online showcasing the festival’s countless performances. In preparation for a trip to Barranquilla during Carnival, it is highly recommended that visitors spend a little time perusing videos, so they’ll know what to see and expect from the experience.
Insider Tips for Visitors
One of the most common recommendations for carnival-goers is to attend as a group. There is always safety in numbers; friends and family looking out for one another can make all the difference and provide much peace of mind. Additionally, it is a good idea to keep your passport and important documents in the hotel safe. When moving about the city from event to event, carry with you only what you need. It is recommended that you share your location with trusted friends and family. This is much easier, thanks to apps like WhatsApp. Another suggestion is to stay hydrated; drink plenty of water, especially if you’re partaking in the rich aguardiente tradition. Finally, establish a rendezvous point, in case anyone is separated from the group.
When it comes to logistics, working with a trusted and proven tour provider to arrange accommodations, itineraries, and guided tours and activities will ensure you get the most out of your experience in this fantastic event. It can also help guarantee a safe and enjoyable experience.
Conclusion
The Carnaval de Barranquilla is a distinct event that every afficionado of festivals, dance, music, costumes, comedy, and food should experience at least once in their lifetime. Colombia is a beautiful country, and the city of Barranquilla is a fascinating place with a rich tradition of commemorating and celebrating its distinct Caribbean history and influences. Planning your trip to the Carnival of Barranquilla well in advance of this event gives you a chance to really prepare and build up the excitement for something you’ll rarely experience anywhere else! And if this passion for art, history, and living culture leaves you wanting more, the art and culture tour through Quito is an equally memorable way to keep exploring that same festive and creative spirit in another corner of South America. Why not talk to one of our destination experts about this transformative experience?
