Torrevieja Carnival 2023 starts this week, with the first event taking place on Friday, January 27, at the Municipal Theatre, with the proclamation that will be given by the humourist and “tiktoker – Instagramer” from the Canary Islands, Omayra Cazorla.
The first act will include a “twinning” with the Carnival of Vinaroz (Castellón) which, like that of Torrevieja, is declared of Autonomous Tourist Interest of the Valencian Community.
On Saturday, January 28, also at the Municipal Theatre, the coronation of the Reyes del Carnaval will take place. The Queen is Sara Fernández and the Child Queen, Edurne Vera. For the first time a King of the Carnival will be proclaimed, who will be Óscar Torregrosa. It so happens that the three of them belong to the troupe “Soul Dance”. Also, that night, the Golden Shield of the Carnival will be delivered to María Dolores Inglada Ruíz “La Malecha”, historic co-founder of the comparsa “Blanca de sal y Morena de soles”.
On Sunday, January 29, the first Carnival Paella Contest was held in the vicinity of Pub Borneo, in the Barrio de La Punta (“La Ermita Zone”) and, on February 4, the National Drag Queen Competition will resume at the Municipal Theatre. The carnival association has increased the amount of the prizes to 1,500 euro for first place, 900 euro for second and 750 euro for the third.
Also, for the second consecutive year, the Animal Carnival will be held with a contest parade on the stage of the Jardín de las Naciones, starting at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 5, and at the same time there will be a day of coexistence for the whole carnival family in the same place.
In the build up to the Grand Carnival Parade, on Friday, February 10 the “Great Carnival meeting” will take place in the Plaza de la Constitución in the direction of the Plaza de Oriente, at 10:00 p.m. The next day, a large representation of the Torrevieja carnival will travel to Vinaroz to complete the twinning, participating in the carnival Queens and Kings gala. It will be the comparsa “Aquí hay tomate”, which represents the salt carnival with a choreography in the town of Castellón.
Sunday, February 12, is definitely a day for the diary, as it is the day of the Grand Carnival Parade which, this year, as a novelty, varies its route starting on calle Ramón Gallud from the vicinity of the Virgen del Carmen Cultural Centre to Dr. Gregorio Marañón, next to the CEPSA Service Station. There, the exhibition area will be installed for the third year, which will be renovated with new attractions.
Other important dates of the Torrevieja Carnival will be on February 14 and 15, with the holding of workshops and parades in the local schools. On Thursday, February 16, there will be a Dance for the Elderly at the Municipal Leisure Centre (CMO) and on Friday, February 17, the Children’s Parade “El carnaval de los coles” from the Virgen del Carmen Cultural Centre to the paseo Vista Alegre. On Saturday, February 18, the Great Night Parade and Comparsas Foráneas Contest will be held from 6:00 p.m. along calle Ramón Gallud, leaving from the Cultural Centre.
The culmination of the festivities will be the National Comparsas and Chirigotas Contest on Sunday, February 19, at the Municipal Theatre. The schedule is yet to be determined according to the number of participating groups.
All the acts will be free with an invitation that can be picked up at the Municipal Theatre Box Office.
