Carnival of Sitges 2011
Its Carnival time! Not quite in Barcelona but a short distance away in the playground of the Catalan capital and popular gay destination, the bohemian resort of Sitges which celebrates the Carnival with a special kind of vitality. This colourful event will be taking place from the 3rd to the 9th of March giving you plenty of time to organise a spring break to the city of Barcelona.
Up to a quarter of a million Catalans, Germans, British, and other Europeans fill the town for a week of uninhibited revelry. The celebrations commence on “Fat Thursday” before lent with the arrival of the king of ‘Carnestoltes’ (forbidden meat) and ends similarly to the Madrid Carnival with the Burial of the Sardine (Entierro de la Sardina) in which participants make their way through the streets with a coffin containing the effigy of a dead sardine marking the start of Lent.
This Spanish tradition ridicules the ecclesiastical tradition of burying the fat to mark the beginning of Lenten fasting. Over the years, pig fat has become a sardine to remind people that they will now be eating fish instead of meat.
The highlight of the week are the grand parades taking place (the Debauchery and Extermination Parades) featuring more than 3,000 costumed masqueraders and up to 50 floats, in addition to street bands, and a general fiesta throughout the town. Sitges is a party town, and carnival is the party of all parties that’s sure to appeal to fun lovers of every persuasion.
Truly a wild, festive and fun celebration whereby the locals take to the street and celebrate in humoristic style thus, if you’re lucky enough to be in Barcelona in March and would like to join in all this festive inappropriateness, then head to Sitges where you won’t be disappointed.
