Celebrate Carnival in Curacao: The ultimate guide & Schedule
Carnival is the most popular and longest-running celebration on the island of Curaçao, and it’s an experience you simply cannot miss! The festival takes place in the weeks leading up to the fasting period, culminating in a spectacular finale.
Easter falls early in 2027, so the whole season moves forward: Carnival kicks off in January and ends on Tuesday 9 February 2027, the night before Ash Wednesday. The absolute highlight, the “Gran Marcha” (Grand Parade), fills the streets of Willemstad with color and rhythm on Sunday 7 February 2027.
Are you ready to dance? Read on for the 2027 schedule and our tips for the best experience.
What makes Curaçao Carnival so special?
Curaçao’s Carnival is a unique blend of cultural traditions, creativity and passion. It’s not just a single event but a season of celebration that stretches over two months. The island’s mix of cultures, traditions, and creativity comes alive during this festival, making it an experience like no other. From the energetic music to the beautiful costumes and stunning floats, everything about Carnival is designed to captivate.
The season opens with the Tumba Festival, a four-night song competition at the Curaçao Festival Center in Brievengat. The winner is crowned Rei or Reina di Tumba, and the winning song becomes the road march: the tune you will hear from every truck and every group along the parade route for the rest of the season. By the time the Gran Marcha comes around, the whole island knows the words.
What truly sets Curaçao’s Carnival apart is the community spirit. Locals and visitors alike join together to celebrate with open hearts and endless energy. It’s impossible not to get caught up in the excitement.
Carnival Curaçao 2027: the schedule
Below are the most important parades of the 2027 season. Carnival follows the church calendar, so the dates shift every year; the final programme is usually presented by the organizers, Fundashon Desaroyo Karnaval Kòrsou (FDKK), at the end of November. Check curacaokarnaval.com for the confirmed programme and the routes.
Please note: start times in Curaçao are often “poko poko” (island time). A parade may start an hour or two later than announced, so relax and go with the flow!
- Tumba Festival – mid to late January 2027: four evenings of live music at the Curaçao Festival Center, where the carnival anthem of the year is chosen. The dates are announced in December.
- Horse Parade (Karnaval di Kabai) – Sunday 24 January 2027: a parade on horseback along the Gran Marcha route, in the opposite direction. A relaxed afternoon and a favorite with families.
- Children’s Parade (Marcha di Mucha) – Sunday 31 January 2027: Carnival isn’t just for adults! The children’s parade is full of adorable costumes and youthful energy. It’s a family-friendly event that everyone will enjoy.
- Teener Parade – Friday 5 February 2027: as the sun sets, the energy rises. The teen parade is an evening event with more music, larger crowds and vibrant energy.
- Banda Abou Parade – Saturday 6 February 2027: held in Barber, in the west of the island, this is the only big parade outside the city. It has a more local, intimate vibe than the parades in Willemstad and is a wonderful way to see a different side of the island’s culture.
- Gran Marcha (the Grand Parade) – Sunday 7 February 2027: the crown jewel of Carnival, with hundreds of performers in elaborate costumes dancing through the streets to live bands and music trucks. The route runs from the Frank D. Rooseveltweg through Roodeweg into Otrobanda and takes most of the day. This is the main event you do not want to miss.
- Farewell Parade for children and teens – Monday 8 February 2027: the younger groups take to the streets one more time.
- Marcha di Despedida – Tuesday 9 February 2027: the celebration doesn’t end until the farewell parade. Tuesday night is a magical parade of lights, mixing glowing costumes and music, and around midnight “King Momo” is burned to mark the end of the season. The next day is Ash Wednesday.
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Seú: the parade after Carnival
If you miss Carnival by a few weeks, there is a second parade worth planning around. On Easter Monday, 29 March 2027, the island celebrates Seú, a harvest parade with roots in the days of the plantations. Groups in traditional dress walk through Willemstad to the rhythm of the drums, the wiri and the conch shell. It is slower and more traditional than Carnival, and a beautiful thing to see.
Will you join us for a Carnival getaway in Curaçao?
One of the great things about Carnival in Curaçao is how the whole island embraces the festive spirit, and the relaxation afterward! Following the spectacular Gran Marcha on Sunday, the island has a public holiday on Monday, giving everyone a chance to rest and recharge. Children enjoy a week-long Carnival vacation, similar to spring break in the Netherlands, so while you’re here soaking up the sunshine and vibrant culture, locals are enjoying their time off too.
At Bayside Boutique Hotel you sleep on the quiet side of the island, at Blue Bay Beach, a twenty-minute drive from the parade route. Party all afternoon in Otrobanda, and come back to the beach to recover.
Will you join us for a Carnival getaway in Curaçao? December, January and February are high season on the island, so we recommend securing your room well in advance.
Frequently asked questions
The season runs from January until Tuesday 9 February 2027, the day before Ash Wednesday. The Gran Marcha, the biggest parade, is on Sunday 7 February 2027 in Willemstad. Carnival follows the church calendar, so the dates change every year.
In Willemstad. The route runs from the Frank D. Rooseveltweg, past the Palu Blanku roundabout and along Roodeweg into Otrobanda, where it ends near the pontoon bridge. The parade takes most of the day.
Yes, watching the parades is free. You can stand anywhere along the route. Seats in the temporary stands that residents and groups build along the way are sometimes sold separately.
Tumba is the music of Curaçao’s Carnival. Every year the Tumba Festival picks a winning song, and that song becomes the road march you hear from every group during the parades.
A folding chair, sunscreen, a hat, comfortable shoes, cash for the food and drink stalls, and a trash bag. Arrive early, because once the parade starts it is hard to move along the route.
Seú is a harvest parade with roots in the plantation era, held on Easter Monday. In 2027 that is 29 March. Groups in traditional dress walk through Willemstad to the beat of drums and wiri.
