The Carnival comes to Loule in February 2015
The month of February might be just another dry, cold and senseless stretch of endless days for… urm, most of the world. But in Spain and Portugal, it means fun and celebrations! The Carnival comes to Loule in February 2015, as it has for the past century and more!
The Loule Carnival is in fact the celebration with the oldest tradition and continuation in the entire Portugal. The Carnival itself has an age-old history, originating in the pagan festivities of Ancient Greece and before. After the Christian Church became the religion of the Roman Empire – and of Europe in extension – all of the old celebrations, including the Carnival, gained religious connotations, so the Carnival became a time of allowed feasting and eating before a long fasting period.
As for the Carnival in Loule, the Algrave will be celebrating it with chariots, floats, samba dancing schools, contests, music and parades of flashy costumes between the 14th and the 17th of February. The theme this year is sports, since Loule has been named European City of Sports. The Carnival coincides with Valentine’s Day – which will most probably be vastly outshined by the noisier, more glamourous and general event. But the two are not mutually exclusive, surely. In fact, many people can choose to combine the two and take their loved ones to this seaside Carnival on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.
The Carnival will be preceded by the Children’s Carnival, due to kick off on February 13th at 10 AM. As for the schedule of the “big” Carnival, it starts Saturday, 14th Feb with the Parade of Avenida da Costa Mealha at 3 PM. The celebrations will begin every day until the 17th at the same hour and end on the 17th Feb with a Festivity beginning at 9 PM.
If you want to get around town for the Carnival, you can rent a car in the Algarve and benefit from the mobility you need.
