Rainbow feathers fly through the air, gaining momentum from the dancing of the crowd in Sitges Carnival 2023. Music and cheers fill the streets as thousands of people gather to the coastal town of Sitges to experience one of the largest celebrations of the year. Now the feathers have blown away, and the cheers have faded as the Sitges Carnival party comes to an end. If you missed the celebration, you can follow along with this rundown of all of the Sitges Carnival 2023 festivities.
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Sitges Carnival 2023 events: parades, parties, festivals
From grandparents to small children, everyone can enjoy Sitges Carnival and participate in the celebration. One of the main events that marks the start of Carnival is the arrival of the Carnival king and queen on Dijous Gras, or Fat Thursday. This is an event for everyone to enjoy, ringing in the week of festivities. Throughout the week, there are many parades and other parties that bring in crowds of people from all over the world to participate and enjoy the spectacle. The main parades that attract the most people are on Sunday and Tuesday – the Debauchery Parade and Extermination Parade. These parades are the longest and most elaborate lasting several hours with over two thousand people dancing in the parade. While these main parades bring in the most people, there are also events throughout the rest of the week that include more child-friendly activities, races and late-night costume parties.
Debauchery Parade 2023 in Sitges Carnival
The Debauchery Parade, or Défilé de la Disbauxa, is by far the most popular Sitges Carnival event with hundreds of parade dancers and over 50 colourful floats. The Debauchery Parade takes place on Sunday at 7:30 pm right after sunset. The parade goes along the beach and weaves through the streets of Sitges, lasting about three hours. But the three hours go by very fast because everyone is dancing, drinking and celebrating. It is recommended to line up early to get the best view because many crowds gather to enjoy the parade. The people in the parade are also very interactive with the crowd. They will reach out and dance with you, throw confetti your way and sometimes even offer you food or drinks they have with them. It is a great time watching all of the dancers show off their sparkly outfits while performing skits and dance routines.
Extermination Parade 2023 in Sitges Carnival
Aside from the Debauchery Parade, the Extermination Parade or Défilé de l’Extermini, is the other very popular Sitges Carnival event. Since it takes place on Tuesday at 9 pm, it is harder for many people to attend, but those who live nearby or can travel in from Barcelona will make the trip for this incredible event. The Extermination Parade marks the end of Carnival as one last community celebration before the festivities come to an end. This parade has some of the same floats and skits as the Debauchery Parade, but is a bit shorter and has several new acts so parade goers can return for a new eventful night. After the parade, many people will go out to bars around Sitges to enjoy this last night of Carnival before Ash Wednesday.
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Dressing for Sitges Carnival 2023
To truly experience Sitges Carnival, dressing up in costume is a must. Carnival is a time when “anything goes” so this is a chance for people to be whoever they want. Many of the locals will go all out with face paint, body jewels and wigs. Some popular costumes include cartoon characters, animals and the classic angel and devil duo. For those who are not prepared with a costume, there are many stores around Sitges that stock up on feather boas, glitter and costume sets. This way everyone has a chance to fully celebrate Carnival covered in as much sparkle as they would like.
Sitges Carnival 2023 events for children
Although Sitges Carnival is a time for many adults to gather and party, there are also many daytime events for children. For example, on Tuesday, there is a parade set aside for children to dress up and march through the streets of Sitges. Throughout the week, many children will dress in costume at school. This year, Wednesday was a very popular costume after Netflix’s new “Wednesday” series. Sitges Carnival 2023 is truly a time for all to enjoy!
