Carnival in Águilas

Colour and spectacle, spontaneous wit and the humour of the street

Carnival is celebrated enthusiastically, with four big parades filling the town with colour, splendour, and beauty. They take place on Carnival Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday, and on Piñata Saturday (the weekend after Carnival proper). As night falls, people flock to the area around Plaza de España with costumes and masks, especially on Carnival Monday. Some of the most striking elements of the fiesta include cascarones de confeti (eggs full of confetti, which are thrown during the celebrations) and cuerva (a traditional drink based on wine and fruit). In recent years, the paper costume competition is increasingly popular, with spectacular disguises made entirely of paper.