This Wednesday, Sitges’s jam-packed Carnival week came to a close. Though it got off to a rough start due to strong winds, it was then able to continue normally, and drew large crowds. The traditional Enterro funeral wake for His Majesty Carnestoltes, which took place this Wednesday, brought together his entourage and the Carnival Queen’s entourage at 6.30 pm in front of City Hall. The Committee and the colles, or clubs involved in the festival, made their offerings to the King of Carnival as they mourned his passing. The burial concluded with a reading of Carnestoltes’s last will and testament, and a grand fireworks display set to Coldplay music.

Following the Enterro, it was time for the arrival of Madam Lent, who also brought her entourage and read the Vegetable Manifesto. She played her role of foil to Carnival by criticising its revelry and calling for moderation during Lent. At the end of Ash Wednesday night, participants gathered at the Retiro and Prado for the traditional closing meals featuring the local xató salad and sauce dish (xatonades), and to look back at the past week.

“The weather put a damper on the first few days, but ultimately the colles and other associations feel this Carnival was a success,” said the president of the Committee, Carles Garcia Ojeda. “We’re pleased with our work and already starting to plan for Carnival 2027.”  The city councillor for festivities, Eva Martín Martínez, thanked all Carnival participants for their cooperation and contributions. “At the start of Carnival, we had to make certain last-minute decisions due to the bad weather, but everyone took it well, which really helped. There’s always room for improvement, but we’ve shown yet again that we have a high-quality Carnival that’s deeply rooted in Sitges and beloved by its people.” Martín also noted the large crowds that turned out all week long, especially on Tuesday to see the Rua de l’Extermini parade.

“We’ve seen a highly creative Carnival, with top-notch costumes and floats that once again speak to the talent, cleverness and hard work of all the colles and associations involved,” said Aurora Carbonell Abella, the mayor of Sitges. “Beyond the festival itself, I want to commend everyone for their exemplary behaviour. Here in Sitges, we how to have lots of fun while being responsible and using common sense, and that’s something to be proud of.” Carbonell also acknowledged the strong winds. “We weren’t sure how the situation with the weather was going to play out, and we had to make decisions with safety in mind, but everyone showed great understanding and commitment. That reflects the maturity of our Carnival. [I’d like to thank] the unsung but essential work of our municipal services, law enforcement and technical teams that made it possible for the festivities to continue normally and for everyone to have a fun and safe time.”

Jam-packed Carnival week

Though the weather was uncertain and high winds delayed the Arribo on Fat Thursday, this arrival ceremony was finally able to take place at 9 pm. The Colla Érem Pocs put on a show to welcome the King of the Carnival, who under the name His Majesty Tatoo Filòs del Plor Antic Carnestoltes I received the Sitges city government mace from Mayor Aurora Carbonell Abella on the La Fragata stage. This year, Carnestoltes received the mace and then gave his Predicot speech on La Fragata instead of at City Hall, marking one of the main changes to this year’s Arribo. This meant the King and Queen’s entourages could go straight to the xatonades at the Prado and Retiro.

Literal “rain on the parade” on Friday, the day for visiting schools and nursing homes, meant that these visits had to be moved indoors, but all the main characters were still able to attend. The rain also affected the start of the Rua d’Antes parade, but it was ultimately able to take place.

The fardo festivities once again took centre stage on Saturday, with 38 participants in the traditional cursa de llits, or bed race, which was followed by afternoon dancing on the Passeig de la Ribera and in Plaça de Catalunya. The weather was kinder at the weekend, and the major Disbauxa and Extermini parades were able to take place as usual, preceded by the children’s parades. Initial figures show that large numbers of people arrived in the town over Carnival weekend and on Tuesday, to see the Rua de l’Extermini parade. Despite this huge turnout, there were hardly any safety incidents throughout the week.