February · dates vary each year

Almería Carnival

A February of sharp-witted coplas, sequins and streamers: the city dresses up, sings about itself at the Auditorio and closes the party by burying — with full solemnity — a sardine.

Main days February

The contest

The agrupaciones,
the heart that sings

The heart of Almería's carnival beats in its agrupaciones contest: weeks of rehearsal condensed into a few minutes on stage, where each group defends its character, its coplas and its wit. In the 2026 edition, the semifinals run from 6 to 8 February and the grand final arrives on 14 February at the Auditorio Municipal Maestro Padilla.

As in every Andalusian carnival, the genre's two souls live side by side: the chirigota, which sharpens the laughter and comments on the year in mischievous verses, and the comparsa, which goes for goosebumps with its harmonies. Between pasodobles and cuplés, the audience sings along, laughs and is sometimes moved without warning.

The youngest have their own date: the Certamen Infantil, a non-competitive showcase, opens the 2026 edition on 1 February. Because at carnival, the next generation takes the stage too.

Andalusian carnival parade (illustrative image)

1–22 Feb

of activities in the 2026 edition

5

stages spread across the city

1

sardine to bid farewell at the end

The Rambla Federico García Lorca, in the centre of Almería

The street

When the city
dresses up

Carnival does not fit inside a theatre: during the main days — 14 to 22 February in the 2026 edition — the party takes to the streets. The pregón on 20 February kicks off the final weekend, and on the 21st the whole city sets off with the "Noche en Color" parade: costumes, music and confetti sweeping through the centre.

The Rambla Federico García Lorca dresses up for the occasion, with the marquee at the Mirador de la Rambla as headquarters for the final weekend. And the carnival spreads across its 2026 stages: the Auditorio Maestro Padilla, the Anfiteatro, the Plaza de las Velas and the Parque de las Almadrabillas, from the centre down to the sea.

The finale

Rest in peace,
sardine

Every self-respecting carnival dies in style. The Entierro de la Sardina — the Burial of the Sardine — is the rite with which carnival tradition bids the party farewell: a mourning procession as feigned as it is heartfelt, wailers who laugh more than they weep, and a sardine that receives full honours before its final journey. In the 2026 edition, the ceremony closes the carnival on 22 February.

It is the most cheerful full stop there is: the sardine is buried, the costume goes back in the wardrobe and the city returns to normal… until the following year, when the carnival rises again — as it always does — with new dates and freshly written coplas.

Practical information

Plan your visit

Dates February, dates vary · 2026 edition: 1 to 22 February, with the main days from the 14th to the 22nd
Place Almería city · Auditorio Municipal Maestro Padilla and venues around the centre
Organiser The FEMACA (Federación Municipal de Carnaval de Almería) with Almería City Council
Programme Published every year by the city council · almeriaciudad.es
← Festivals and traditions

Photographs: Daniela Erminy, Ryan Hodnett, Ismael Olea · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY

Keep celebrating

More dates on the calendar

Holy Week

From confetti to contemplation: processions and sacred music across the capital and the Andarax valley.

Almería Fair

Nine days in late August in honour of the Virgen del Mar, with a daytime fair and casetas at night.

Festivals and traditions

The full festive year of Alhama and its surroundings, from the January bonfires to the December lights.

Frequently asked questions

Keys to the carnival

When is the Almería Carnival held?

In February, with dates that change every year. In the 2026 edition, activities run from 1 to 22 February, with the main days concentrated between the 14th and the 22nd. Check the city council's official programme before travelling.

What is the agrupaciones contest?

The competition in which chirigotas, comparsas and other carnival groups compete by singing their coplas, as is tradition across Andalusian carnivals. In 2026, the semifinals take place from 6 to 8 February and the grand final on 14 February, at the Auditorio Municipal Maestro Padilla. Children have their own non-competitive Certamen Infantil on 1 February.

Where does the carnival take place?

In the 2026 edition there are five stages: the Auditorio Municipal Maestro Padilla, the Mirador de la Rambla — with a marquee for the final weekend —, the Anfiteatro, the Plaza de las Velas and the Parque de las Almadrabillas.

How does the carnival end?

With the Burial of the Sardine, the act with which carnival tradition takes leave of the party, somewhere between mock mourning and open laughter. In the 2026 edition it is held on 22 February, as the closing flourish.

© 2026 Alhama de Almería · All rights reserved Legal notice Almería · Andalusia · Spain