3,2,1.. Costumes On! Carnival in Valencia.

The festive season is around the corner. This week we get Carnival — a soft warm-up before the full-blown celebration of Fallas. Before the gunpowder comes the glitter. So dust off the costumes, find the face paints, and prepare for a small, bright interruption in the calendar.

When I first moved here, I was surprised to discover that Valencia celebrates Carnival at all. Having spent years in the Canary Islands, Carnival to me meant Tenerife — the big-time party: Queen pageants, endless nights out, parades stretching for hours, and schools closed for three consecutive days.

I could also associate Carnival with Cádiz and its Latin American-infused spirit, its chirigotas — sharp, funny songs performed by large troupes, full of biting social and political commentary that inevitably make national headlines. Or even with the pagan, Celtic-rooted carnivals of the north, where masked figures roam the streets in what looks less like a festive celebration and more like the opening scene of a folklore horror film by M. Night Shyamalan.

Valencia, however, is a special case.

We get a taste of festivity in Ruzafa (where else?), a small but colourful demonstration that hasn’t fully merged into the city’s traditional fabric. And yet, little by little, it grows. Not loudly, not dramatically — but steadily, especially through children and their schools.

I don’t really know what might have prompted Valencians to embrace Carnival. Perhaps it’s the same impulse that welcomed Halloween with open arms — a very Spanish sentiment: you never say no to a party. Any excuse will do. A reason to gather, to dress up, to be just a little louder than usual (not really difficult, at all)

If you’re up for navigating the crowded streets, here are some of the best places in town to find a bit of Carnival fun for the kiddos. They rarely need convincing — any opportunity to wear a costume twice in one month is reason enough. 

My best advice? Don’t miss the chance to fall in step behind a parade. There’s something unexpectedly uplifting about it — a few minutes of rhythm, colour and collective silliness that manages to spark an immeasurable kind of joy.

¡Feliz Carnaval! 

Gran Competencia Carnavalera Walkbike 2026
Estadio Municipal de Valencia
Saturday 14 February, 10:00 a.m.
A morning dedicated to the smallest riders. The Walkbike competition includes children’s categories, prizes, medals — and, because this is Carnival after all — a foam cannon finale.

Carnaval de Russafa 2026 – Market & Workshops
Parque Central (Moll 4)
14 & 15 February
A family-friendly Carnival market with performances, clowns, and creative workshops for children. Expect colour, music, and the usual Ruzafa energy.

Pasacalle Infantil – Carnaval de Russafa
From Parque de Malilla to Parque Central
Saturday 14 February (afternoon)
A children’s parade with costumes and batucadas moving through the neighbourhood — lively but manageable, festive but still very local.