Carnaval in Barcelona
By Charlie. Filed in Travel |
The celebration of Carnaval has been around for centuries. The festival traditionally occurs around the days before Lent and ushers in a time of revel, chaos and abandon. The annual celebration in Barcelona certainly fulfills this. The two-week mega party in Barcelona usually takes place in February though sometimes it runs later into March. It is almost an understatement to say that streets are crowded during this time, it’s actually more like they’re inhibited. Costumes are popular with the old and young, and everyone in-between. Many tourists from out of town flock to the Barcelona boutique hotels and the rooms fill quickly.
Carnaval had been banned in Spain in 1938 by the dictator Franco and it remained illegal to celebrate this time-honored event for 40 years. It was only reestablished in 1981, though it lost none of its gusto and significance in that time. Barcelona quickly stepped right back into step and each year the locals take to the streets in costumes that are typically associated with Halloween. One of the original intentions with the parade was to make fun of or laugh at that which was typically grotesque or frightening. This included the archetypical characters of demons, devils, witches and more, which is the reason for the continued use of costume.
Another important aspect of traditional Carnaval celebration is the turning upside down of standard order and social roles. It is a time when anything goes and there is a huge focus on sexual expression and licentiousness. Nothing lasts forever though, and this includes the mayhem of Carnaval. The indulgences culminate in a frenzied party on Shrove Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras. The following morning marks the beginning of Lent when the party stops. In Barcelona there is another ceremony to mark this transition, El Entierro de la Sardina “the burial of the Sardine.” This is a symbolic reference as it alludes to the burial of the decadence and a return to order. It also represents the period of eating fish instead of meat.
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