Keeping the tradition alive, plans for the El Gran Carnaval de San Pedro are already underway! The usual celebration to usher in the Lenten Season has been extended to five days of cultural fun, music and dance.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 2nd for the start of the festivities with the first ever Carnaval Parade. Starting at 5PM, colorfully decorated floats with a trail of dancers will parade down town core as they make their way to Central Park for the Annual Carnaval Fiesta. “What to expect at the fiesta?” – Delicious local food, ice cold drinks and cocktails and the best live entertainment in town!
Carnaval festivities continue with three days of unadulterated revelry. The traditional painting starts at 1PM on the Sunday, Monday and Tuesday within Barrier Reef Drive and the adjacent beach. Also making their debut will be the several groups of comparsas dancers who for the past years have been perfecting their songs and dance routines especially for the 2019 Carnaval.
Closing off El Gran Carnaval will be the burning of Juan Carnaval on Wednesday, March 6th at 7PM. Gather along the beach in front of Central Park and be witness to the reading of the Last Will and Testament of Juan Carnaval, the infamous womanizer.
Please note that there are some rules and regulations upheld during the celebrations: It is recommended that only children paint on Sunday. NO painting of comparsa participants, properties, signs, vehicles and people in uniform or coming from work; no oil paint or spray paint; no bottle squeezers will be allowed; no throwing of eggs or use of rotten eggs; painters are asked to respect tourists, unless they want to participate. The painting zones are: beach front from Ruby’s Hotel to the cemetery area, and Barrier Reef Drive. Non-painters are recommended to avoid the painting zones. Barrier Reef Drive will be closed to all vehicular traffic and no parking will be allowed on either Barrier Reef Drive or Pescador Drive between 1PM to 7PM on all Carnaval days.

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About the Author: Janelle Cowo

The youngest member of the My Beautiful Belize family, Janelle loves traveling and experiencing new cultures both within and across the border of Belize. She particularly enjoys history and is an avid Science Fiction, Fantasy and Romance reader. What she lacks in stature, Janelle has (and even surpasses) in spirit for adventure. She is willing to try pretty much anything, from daring jumps to new eats. Janelle lives her life according to Mae West quote “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

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