Cádiz Carnival 2027: dates, COAC, where to watch and where to stay

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

Dates in 2027

Cádiz Carnival 2027 runs from Thursday 4 to Sunday 14 February, according to the city. The song contest at the Gran Teatro Falla starts earlier, on 8 January. These are the dates published so far:

The detailed programme, with times and routes, usually comes out shortly before Carnival. We’d check the city’s Carnival page before you go.

What it is

Cádiz has the most famous Carnival in Spain, and it is a Festival of International Tourist Interest. It is less about floats than about words: groups write satirical songs about politics and the year’s news, and the whole city listens, laughs and dresses up.

The groups you will hear:

• Chirigotas: the funniest groups, with comic songs and costumes. They are the ones most visitors look for.
• Comparsas: more poetic and musical, with serious as well as funny lyrics.
• Coros: large choirs with guitars, lutes and bandurrias, often singing from carts in the street.
• Cuartetos: small groups performing comic sketches.
• Romanceros: solo storytellers, who tell a rhymed story with a painted board.
• Ilegales or callejeras: unofficial street groups outside the contest. They have no fixed times or stages, and for many people they are the best part.

You’ll understand more if you speak good Spanish, because the songs are full of wordplay and local jokes. Even without it, the music, costumes and street atmosphere are worth the trip.

Schedule and key days

• 8 January to 5 February: the COAC. The Concurso Oficial de Agrupaciones Carnavalescas has 125 adult groups in 2027, with shows from 20:00. The Falla is small and locals follow the contest closely, so the January rounds are the time to go if you mainly want to hear the groups on stage.
• Friday 5 February: the final. It is long, often running until the next morning, and tickets are very hard to get. It is usually shown on local and regional television.
• Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 February: the big weekend. The pregón opens Carnival on Saturday night, and the old town is at its fullest. The big parade is on Sunday.
• Monday 8 February: Lunes de Coros. The choirs sing on carts around the Mercado Central and the old town. It is a local holiday in Cádiz, and many people find it the most enjoyable day.
• Second weekend, 13–14 February. Usually calmer, with more room to stop and listen. Carnival ends on Sunday with the burning of the Bruja Piti.
• Sunday 21 February: Carnaval Chiquito. Also called the Carnaval de los Jartibles, it is a smaller street carnival for those who still want more, and it’s mostly local.

Cádiz also holds free food events around Carnival, such as the Erizada (sea urchins) and the Ostionada (oysters). We hadn’t found their 2027 dates when we checked; look for them in the programme.

Where to watch / how to take part

In the street

The groups are free to listen to, and you simply walk until you hear singing. These are the main places, according to the city:

• La Viña: the old fishermen’s quarter by La Caleta, and the heart of Carnival.
• Mercado Central and Plaza de las Flores: a good place to start, above all at midday and on Lunes de Coros.
• Plaza de San Antonio: the main square for official events, including the pregón.
• El Pópulo: the medieval quarter behind the cathedral.
• Plaza de Candelaria and Plaza de San Agustín: smaller squares, popular with street groups.

We’d go in the daytime to hear the songs. At night, above all on the first Saturday, it is more of a giant street party, and the crowds make it hard to listen.

At the Gran Teatro Falla

You need tickets to see the contest inside the theatre. They go on sale in phases and are hard to get for the final stages, so we’d check the official ticket sale early and aim for a preliminary round. There are no COAC shows on some days between rounds, so check the dates.

Costumes

Dressing up is the point. You can come in anything from a wig and face paint to a full costume, and locals often go in groups with a shared theme (a tipo). There’s no dress code, and shops in town sell wigs and accessories.

Where to stay and when to book

Book as early as you can. Hotels in the old town sell out months ahead, and prices rise sharply, above all for 4–8 February.

• In the old town, for the atmosphere: Hotel Convento Cádiz, Hotel Argantonio or browse hotels in the old town. Expect noise until dawn, above all in or near La Viña.
• In the new town, for sleep: Hotel Cádiz Paseo del Mar is on the seafront promenade, or browse hotels by Playa de la Victoria.
• Outside the city: Jerez is about 40 minutes by train and Seville about 1 h 45. See Seville to Cádiz by train, bus or car.

See where to stay in Cádiz for more on each area.

Etiquette and tips

• Leave the car outside the city. The old town is packed and streets close. We’d come by train, booking early: trains fill up during Carnival. The station is at the edge of the old town.
• Stop and listen. When a street group is singing, people go quiet. Save your chat for the gaps between songs.
• Bring a warm layer. February averages 17 °C by day and 11 °C at night, and it can be windy, so see Cádiz weather by month.
• Watch your things. Keep your phone and wallet out of reach in crowds, and carry a little cash for bars and street stalls.
• With children, we’d go in the daytime. The parade and the second weekend are the easiest; the first Saturday night is not for small children.
• Stay longer if you can. The city’s sights are quieter in the morning. See things to do in Cádiz or take a walking tour of the old town.

FAQ