AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Specials & Events 2020 El Gran Carnaval de San Pedro

The Carnival is the biggest and most important festival in San Pedro and is comprised of singing, dancing, live music, parades, flour fights, painting, and food.

Located on scenic Ambergris Caye, San Pedro has a well-deserved reputation as Belize's party town. During Carnival, you can guarantee the people here will be living up to that reputation. San Pedro is also a popular tourist destination where you'll find plenty of great restaurants, nightlife, and luxury beach resorts and hotels.

This year, it begins on February 22.

Like Carnival in Rio and other countries, El Gran Carnaval de San Pedro takes place just before Lent and Easter. The tradition of parties and celebrations before Lent originated in Italy, where the Venice Carnival stands out for its extravagance. The tradition traveled to Spain and then to the colonized countries of Latin America.

In Belize, our Carnival is not scandalous or extravagant like Carnivals in some countries. The San Pedro Carnival is a fun, friendly event that's appropriate even for families.

Everything in Belize is colorful and festive, and we pull out all the stops for the biggest party of the year. As part of the celebration, dance teams called comparsas dress in costumes and dance through the streets. Prizes go to the best dance teams.

At the end of the Carnival, everyone competes in the "paint or be painted" contest. As they walk and dance through the streets, the comparsas carry pots of water-based paint. They compete to see how many people they can paint. You can expect to be painted unless you stay in the clearly marked "no painting" zone.

Are you looking for an unforgettable vacation? If you're ready to experience nonstop fun on a gorgeous tropical island, you're ready for the San Pedro Carnival.

For stories on last years carnival, click here!

Let us welcome the new year with San Pedro's very own and unique tradition - EL GRAN CARNAVAL DE SAN PEDRO! Check out the dates! Are you ready? More details coming soon!

Sign up now for the 2nd Annual Carnaval Parade on Saturday, February 22, 2020! We invite any group or business to join in un the fun! Sign up at the San Pedro Town Council.

Joining us at the Parade will be DJ Debbie and the Titans Mas Band! We will have beads and carnaval masks to give away!

The parade will start from San Pedro High School and end at the Central Park at the Carnaval Fiesta block party!

CARNAVAL FUN! is just around the corner! Are you guys ready?! Kicking off the Carnaval celebrations is our Annual Carnaval Fiesta at the Central Park with bouncy houses, face painting, booths, San Pedro Dance Academy, Titans Mas Band, DJ Strikah and Island Sensations.

Beginning on Sunday, the comparsas will dance and serenade the streets of San Pedro Town and painters will be having fun on Barrier Reef Drive, all throughout Tuesday, where we will celebrate at the Central Park with a DJ playing the latest hits.

Lastly, the fun comes to an end with the Burning of Don Juan Carnaval on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. at Central Park.

Come witness the yearly tradition!

Que viva el Carnaval de San Pedro! Vivelo y Gozalo!



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Coming Soon! Carnaval Photographic Exhibition @ the San Pedro House of Culture. Friday, February 21st, 2020 @ 7 pm.



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Paint or Be Painted: Carnaval In San Pedro Starts this Weekend

Mardi Gras or Carnival, the holiday is celebrated around the world. The festivus of eating, drinking and naughtiness before the beginning of Lent.

Different places do different things�we all know about the celebration in New Orleans or in Rio (Brazil attracts 70% of its tourists during this week alone!) but in San Pedro, it's been going on for decades and it is totally unique.

Carnaval is at the top of this list. This is a festival that's been held for decades - before San Pedro had tourists. Get covered in paint with local kids, dance in the park, drink Belikin beers on a dock and then take a dip in ocean. Everyone is involved. Even our traffic guys.

Click here to read the rest of the article in the San Pedro Scoop

Carnaval Schedule



El Gran Carnaval de San Pedro!



El Gran Carnaval de San Pedro- Comparsas Dance Presentations!



Some epically fun trampoline fails from the Carnival 2020 pre-party in Central Park, San Pedro.

Carnaval Day 1: Painting And Dancing On The Streets Of San Pedro

Carnaval in San Pedro officially kicked off on Saturday, February 22, 2020 with a Carnaval Fiesta Block Party at the Central Park.

Spectators at the Central Park were entertained by dances performed by the San Pedro Dance Academy and Titans Mas Band. There were food booths with lots to eat and drink and bouncy houses for the children to enjoy.

Click here to read the rest of the article in the Ambergris Today

Carnaval dancers in San Pedro, Las barbies yassss



Carnaval Day 2- Las Barbies - Dr. Tusa







The great carnival of San Pedro! The Barbies!





Vivelo Y Gozalo, El Gran Carnaval de San Pedro is back!

One of the most anticipated annual island celebrations, El Gran Carnaval de San Pedro, has once again taken over the main streets of downtown with a colorful jamboree filled with paint and the popular street dance known as Comparsas. Under the theme Vivelo y Gozalo, the festivities started on Saturday, February 22nd with official ceremonies along with a block party and will culminate with the symbolic burning of Don Juan Carnaval (the celebration's patron) on Wednesday, February 26th.

The celebration which has been observed on the island for decades and is synonymous with the Mestizo culture is held to usher in the 40-day Lenten Season. The carnival is being held this year under the theme 'Vivelo Y Gozalo,' (Live it and Enjoy it) and was officially opened with a ceremony at the Central Park on Saturday. The San Pedro Dance Academy performed several numbers featuring beginner and advanced performers.

Click here to read the rest of the article in the San Pedro Sun

CARNAVAL DAY 2 - COMPARSAS FUN!
Click photos for more pictures!

Carnaval Day Two: Los Barbies Got Coronavirus

Day two of El Gran Carnaval de San Pedro was full of laughter, color and fun! The comparsas never fail to impress this year once more as two comparsa groups hit the streets of San Pedro and danced the night away.

Dona Flora's Group hit the streets with bright and colorful costumes as "Carnavalistas" dancing and singing for all to enjoy. And of course Los Barbies made their appearance with their fun and crazy costumes "Coronavirus" made it to carnival and Dr, Tusa was present to help them out.

Click here to read the rest of the article in the Ambergris Today

Comparsas video



Los Barbos



Dona Floras Group- Las Sirenitas



Other videos from last night...

Click photos for more pictures!

Carnaval 2020 in San Pedro opened with a spectacular show and block party as the San Pedro Town Council hosted its annual Carnaval Fiesta Block Party at the Central Park!

The street was decorated with booths that sold delicious food, from snacks to our Belizean favorite rice and beans. There were also booths that had refreshing drinks to compliment your savory snack.

The kids favorite were the large and colorful bouncy houses which definitely captured the kids attention. The children also lined up and anxiously waited for their turn to get their face painted by local artist AJ Torres. Kids enjoyed the masterpieces on their face as they excitedly smiled with a butterfly or a dinosaur on their face.

Entertaining the audience were the vibrant students from the San Pedro Dance Academy, performing popular Belizean songs and latin hits as the crowd cheered for more! They are definitely a favorite!

Also, entertainers that took the stage and pit were the energetic dancers of the Titans Mas Band from Belize City, dancing to soca music and high energy music in their colorful and spectacular costumes. They sure had everyone dancing out of their seats!

After the dance presentations, DJ Strikah kept the crowd busy and dancing to his high energy music, perfect for the spirit and attitude that is Carnaval. As DJ Strikah entertained the audience, the Island Sensations Band prepared their instruments to later entertain the crowd with everyone's favorite hits and a wide variety of genres which everyone enjoyed till late hours of the night.

The San Pedro Town Council would like to thank everyone that was a part of this celebration and for keeping the tradition alive.

Lastly the San Pedro Town Council would like to thank our sponsors that made this event possible along with us; thank you Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr., Minister of Tourism & Civil Aviation, the Belize Tourism Board, Hol Chan Marine Reserve and the Belize Water Services.

San Pedro Town Council