Event Dates
From: Sunday, January 28, 2024
To: Wednesday, February 14, 2024
The Curaçao Carnival is a unique celebration that takes over the entire Island with Calypso festivals, beauty pageants & street parties
The Curaçao Carnival is a unique celebration that takes over the entire Island with amazing competitions such as the Tumba music and Calypso festivals, beauty pageants, street parties and more.
- Stay at the Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort close to all of the festivities, and right by the beach so you can relax in between street parties and parades.
The Carnival
- Curaçao Carnival is the largest and longest-running Carnival celebration in the Caribbean. The event was brought to the island by the Venezuelans in the early 1900’s and the tradition continues today.
- The Carnival is full of mythical characters including the Carnival Queen who bestows fertility and peace, Prince and Pancho who embody the crazy spirit of Carnival and the villain, King Momo, a straw-filled figure that symbolizes infertility, sins, and bad luck.
Where is Curaçao Carnival held?
- Most of the Carnival activities are concentrated in the Island’s Capital, Willemstad.
- Carnival attracts thousands of visitors from across the Caribbean and the USA.
Carnival Parade Highlights
- Carnival’s most unmissable events are the two main parades: Gran Marcha (The Grand Parade), and Marcha di Despedida (The Farewell March).
- Enjoy the suite-life on the island with your own boutique apartment. The PM78 Boutique Apartments are rated “Superb” by guests, with a pool, parking, balcony, sea-views and beautiful terrace.
Carnival Horse Parade
- Sunday 28th Jan, 2024 – 10am – The first parade of the carnival season is done on horseback.
Gran Marcha
- Sunday 11th Feb 2024 – Beginning the Sunday prior to Ash Wednesday, Gran Marcha is as boisterous as any Carnival event.
- Tourists and locals alike line the streets during Gran Marcha to cheer on the processional of costumed dancers and performers.
- The procession begins at 10 am.
Marcha di Despedida
- Wednesday 14th March 2024 – The Marcha di Despedida signals a farewell to Carnival, taking place on the eve of Ash Wednesday.
- An evening event, kicking off at 7 pm; the floats glow with twinkling lights as they parade through Curaçao with Momo in tow.
- Momo is then burned at midnight at the parade’s and Carnival’s grand finale.
- Stay close to the parade celerbations at The Dolphin Suites, offering stylish rooms and suites in Willemstad, within walking distance of the famous Sea Aquarium Beach and the Curacao Sea-Aquarium.
Tumba Festival
- Awaiting Dates – The Tumba Festival is an event that is unique to Curaçao .
- Aspiring local musicians, performers, and composers compete in the four-day Tumba Festival in the hopes that their tumba (or song) will be chosen as the year’s official Carnival song.
- Like the rest of carnival, this festival brings with it beer, food, and some of the best dancing in the Caribbean Islands. The winner of the Tumba Festival is then crowned Rei di Tumba, and will walk in the carnival parades along with their original tumba.
- After opening day, Carnival groups also take to the streets, wearing t-shirts specific to their group. Following local bands, these groups dance, sing, and spread the carnival spirit through Jump Ups (outdoor) and Jump Ins (indoor), where they also sell t-shirts to raise money for their floats in the Gran Marcha.
Where to stay during Curacao Carnival?
The Following hotels are currently trending with our readers. All have high review scores and are close to the Carnival festivities:
Curacao Avila, Papagayo Beach Resort, Sombré di Kabana, Champartments Resort
Where to stay close to all the gay bars
Our top 4 selections with the best rates.
Marriott Beach Resort is close to all of
Curaçao’s top attractions and beaches.
For further information and advice on
Curaçao Carnival Visit The Website
Curaçao does not have a gayborhood as you would encounter in other major cities around the world. As part of the “Live and let Live!” mentality there are plenty of places to go and activities to do that are LGBT welcoming.You will find that quite a large number of the LGBT community are working in hospitality and they tend to make sure that you have a great time!
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We have chosen hotels in Curaçao that keep you close to all the shops,restaurants & bars
Curaçao Avila Hotel is situated on the beach. This hotel offers access to a variety of activities, a full-service spa and an array of dining and beverage options. Features an outdoor pool and state-of-the-art fitness center. Spend the day scuba diving or swimming with dolphins, then relax with a massage in the Cloud Nine Spa. After playing a game of golf relax on the beach.
Featuring a private beach club & a Carnaval Casino, this resort is located in the center of the Dutch Caribbean. Offering a salt water infinity pool & a fresh water pool. WiFi is available in this Resort that holds of a Four Diamond Award. Guest rooms provide private balconies, coffee facilities and a fridge. 32-inch flat-screen TVs. Bathrooms include bathrobes & slippers.
This oceanfront hotel offers scuba diving lessons, a dive gear shop and a private strip of artificial beach. Apartment units offer a full kitchen, a living room with a flat-screen cable TV and DVD player. The modern units offer multiple bathrooms, free Wi-Fi and a terrace with sea view. Laundry facilities are also included. An infinity pool and a garden pool are available to guests
BijBlauw is located over the seafront, 10 minutes’ walk from Willemstad’s Historic Centre. It features stunning sea views, a garden and a free WiFi throughout. The rooms offer wooden décor, air conditioning and cable TV. The bathrooms are private and come with shower. A variety of restaurants offering international cuisine and local food can be reached 5 minutes’ walk away.
Curacao Carnival Experience