Are you still looking for this week-end? I guess you didn’t know that, although it is not its main celebration, Valencia is also celebrating Carnival!
This week-end we propose to our Spanish course students to join the Carnivals, a good occasion to dress up, enjoy yourself and to get you know the cultural richness of our city, thanks to the participation of local groups and associations.
If you feel like to do something different this week-end, you can join one of the tow Carnivals, taking place in Valencia: the Ruzafa Carnival and the maritime Carnival.
El Carnaval de Ruzafa: the intercultural Carnival
Saturday, 16th of February
This carnival is the most ancient of the two and this year celebrates its 9th edition . Promoted and organized by the association Russafa Cultura Viva, it proposes an intercultural, social and supportive concept of carnival, by recovering the local tradition of this festivity and merging it with immigrant communities’ folklore.
This festivity, aiming at both celebrating the coexistence of different cultures and at raising awareness about key social struggles, foresees the participation of more than twenty Valencian music groups and cultural associations of migrants from different countries, like , Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Malí, Honduras, Chile and Perú.
The “pasacalle”, a long parade of music, dance and costumes from all over the world, will start its walk from Manuel Granero park at 4.00 H p.m., on the next Saturday, the 16th, Ruzafa neighborhood, where our Spanish school is also located, and It will pass through the main streets of the area (Filipinas, Literato Azorín, Sueca, Denia, Cuba e Pintor Gisbert).
Cabañal New Orleans, the maritim Carnival
Sunday, 17th of February
On the next Sunday, 17th, the Cabañal neighborhood celebrates its third edition of Cabañal New Orleans, a festivity that aims at emulating Mardi Grass of New Orleans city by making up its own Valencian version. The first edition of the carnival took place in 2017 and thanks to the engagement of the maritime cultural associations and the enthusiasm of the participants, this fest has been getting bigger and bigger in the past two years till it turned into an essential appointment of the February cultural agenda.
This year the promoter, the Music Society Union of Cabañal fishermen will work in collaboration with the Culture work group of the maritime board, of other musicians’ neighborhood associations and famous musicians of the Valencian jazz panorama.
The music parade will start its walk from Colegio Santiago Apóstol, Escalante Street, 329, and will go through the neighborhood’s streets, making stops to allow people to join the parade and enjoy its music and costumes.
Besides that, if you are a musician and you feel like playing your instrument during the parade, you can get in contact with the promoters, sending an e-mail to smupcasinet@gmail.com.
Two unmissable opportunities to learn Spanish by connecting with people and having fun!
Enjoy yourself!
