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Spain is a country with a well-known Catholic tradition of which Semana Santa preceding Easter is the most important. But first, people have to fast for 47 days, which is why they have been celebrating for over 500 years before Lent begins. Some with a bit more abandon than others.

Most Andalusian cities organise a parade, there is dancing through the streets, they elect a Carnival queen or king and there are various singing competitions. Most cities start celebrating Carnival with parades on the weekend before Shrove Tuesday which is exactly 47 days before Easter Sunday. Some villages celebrate carnival on the weekend two or even three weekends later. In Andalusia, they consider the Carnival of Cadiz to be the most impressive and authentic but most recently in Málaga they really know how to celebrate it.

Preparations for the Málaga Carnival 2024 started early in January with the changing of the special carnival lights in Calle Larios, replacing the Christmas lights, the harlequin is in place next to the statue of Marqués de Larios and the official carnival poster has been released.

The real “kick-off “was given on Friday 19th January with the inaugural Carnival Conference at the Picasso Museum, after which, from Sunday 21st to Wednesday 31st January, singing groups, referred to in Malaga as coplas, will compete for the coveted first place at various places and events in the city.

In the competition this year also some novelties such as a collaboration with the Association of Sports Journalists of Málaga to which a special prize is attached; the Copla Deportiva prize. A jury will decide who will win €500 for the best group in this special competition with a lyric, related to the world of sport with a local or provincial theme, that highlights the values of effort, self-improvement or sportsmanship.

From the 28th to 31st January, the competition moves from the coplas to the Teatro Cervantes where the semi-finals begin for the various singing groups that made the selection. With the Gran Gala de la Cantera at the Teatro Cervantes on Thursday 1st February and the grand final of the Concurso Oficial de Agrupaciones de Canto on Friday 2nd February, again at the Cervantes Theatre.

On Saturday 3rd February, the Málaga Carnival begins in the streets. On this day, the party will be officially opened in Plaza de la Constitución by the writer Máximo Gómez Padilla, among others, and it will be announced who has become this year's Carnival god Momo and the Goddess of Carnival. Afterwards, the street carnival goes wild all over the city.

On Sunday, 4th February, the Berzas Carnavalescas will be held in Cruz de Humilladero in the morning from 13:00. Before that, at 12:00 in the Plaza de la Constitución, Manuela Ruiz and Nacho López open the children's carnival and the children's princes and gods are elected. In the afternoon, the Grand Parade passes through the streets of the Centre. The carnival groups start their route from the Explanada de Santo Domingo and end in the Plaza de la Merced.

Friday 9th February: Various activities and performances are scheduled in the historic centre, including the ever-growing Grand Gala of Drag Queens in the Plaza de la Constitución.

Saturday 10th February: The last Saturday of the festival is the big dress-up day. At 12:00pm, prizes will be awarded to the most beautifully dressed children at the Plaza de la Constitución. From 13:00 there will also be a gastronomic and coplas party in El Palo. There will also be activities in the city centre throughout the day, such as the parade of groups and gods from the Plaza de la Constitución to Calle Granada. A sight to see is the Flower Battle in Calle Larios followed by the big night of costumes in the Plaza de la Constitución, with performances and a concert themed '80s La Movida'.

Sunday 11th February: Last day of the Málaga Carnival including the Entierro del Boquerón (burial of the sour anchovy), a parade that starts from Calle Larios and ends on La Malagueta beach, where the boquerón will be burned. This marks the end of almost a month full of coplas, laughter, alegrías, serpentines and much merriment. Beforehand, on the last morning, prizes are also awarded to the entertainment groups, there is a parade of gods and a coplas competition. The parade of groups and animation and Gods will take place before the Boquerón's funeral, scheduled at 17:30.