Get those Samba hips wiggling, it's Carnaval time in the Algarve

Yes, it’s that time of year. You’re in the supermarket minding your own business looking for the biggest Pastel de Nata on display and you spy a fairy princess chatting to a pirate out of the corner of your eye. You turn around and there is a ninja turtle, mini mouse and superman playing next to the bread rolls – yep it’s Carnaval time in the Algarve.

Even though Portugal has 300 days of sunshine every year, they are not normally found during the month of February! Carnaval and its celebrations are just the tonics we need after surviving the 785 days of January and the greyer, wetter, colder temperatures of winter. Carnaval announces the arrival of Spring and although I’m sure some of the dancers in the parade wished it announced the arrival of summer, Carnaval in the Algarve gives the region its first party of the year and starts the road to sunshine, beach weather and warmer temperatures. Everyone joins in, but the kids dressed up in their costumes get me every time. It’s super cute to see them all dressed up as their favourite characters parading along the streets, but it is the time once the parades have finished that makes me smile, seeing them all still in costume going about their daily routines with mum and dad always puts a smile on my face. As well as the little ones dressing up, there’s confetti on the streets for days, colourful parades in many of the major towns and cities and samba music and drums can be heard everywhere.

This year promises to be a real event following the postponed celebrations over the past few years thanks to COVID, but what is Carnaval?

Carnaval is always celebrated on a Tuesday – precisely 47 days before Easter and celebrations usually take place over the long weekend from Friday until Wednesday. Even though it’s not officially a holiday some businesses may choose to close for Carnaval, and some may not, but whatever they do it won’t stop people from celebrating it in some way or another. This year Carnaval is on the 21^st of February, so expect to start seeing costumes, confetti and decorations going up around the 17^th until the 22^nd.

According to records the first Carnaval in Portugal was held in 1252 and the parades are the main attractions. Some people say that Portugal’s Carnaval parades are bad imitations of Brazil’s, but it is interesting to note that Carnival was introduced to Brazil by the Portuguese.

Loulé is the oldest Carnaval in Portugal having 117 years of celebrations up its sleeve and it is still one of the Algarve’s main events. Its parade down Avenida José da Costa Mealha is where you want to go if you want to experience the best Carnaval in the area. This year parades are in the afternoon of the 19^th, 20^th and 21^st, starting at 3pm and going on until 5.30pm and there is a €2 entrance fee. 14 floats, 3 Samba schools, 9 animation groups, Brazilian dancers, giant costumed characters and over 600 entertainers will fill the streets. Carnaval is a time for fun, but also satire so expect to see caricatures of Portuguese politicians, Putin, Zalensky, King Charles, Rishi Sunak and even Greta Thunberg.

In Loulé there will be the Children’s Carnaval on the 17^th of February at 10am where all the kids come with their faces painted and in costumes for a mini version of the parade.