Where We Be
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A note on tickets and palcos: We booked our Carnival tickets via tuboleta.com for 440,000 pesos (~$130 US) total, covering all
three days of the parade (that's how they're sold), so each ticket cost us ~$20 US. You purchase tickets for a particular palco
(shaded bleacher, no assigned seat, just sit where there's room). Ours was called Arlequin 36-39 in Zone 4 and was near the
end of the parade route on Via 40. Note: our palco was the only one that offered free beer all day Saturday! That said, we'd
pay a little extra next time to be near the beginning of the parade route when parade participants' energy levels are at their
highest. Some dancers seemed understandably tired by the time they reached us, or were running to catch up to their group.
three days of the parade (that's how they're sold), so each ticket cost us ~$20 US. You purchase tickets for a particular palco
(shaded bleacher, no assigned seat, just sit where there's room). Ours was called Arlequin 36-39 in Zone 4 and was near the
end of the parade route on Via 40. Note: our palco was the only one that offered free beer all day Saturday! That said, we'd
pay a little extra next time to be near the beginning of the parade route when parade participants' energy levels are at their
highest. Some dancers seemed understandably tired by the time they reached us, or were running to catch up to their group.
| Carnival Days 2 & 3 -- Barranquilla |
After Day 1 the festivities and music continued
all night, finishing up with fireworks at 4:30 am!
Colombians really know how to party! Here's a
breakdown of the three major parade days:
Crowd energy matters because a highlight of
the parade (for us anyway) was the party going
on all around us. We made instant friends with
the Colombians near us. The ones who spoke a
little English happily filled us in on who was
Carnival Queen, which dances were which, etc.
And when the whole crowd started chanting as
one during their favorite songs it was powerful.
The Day 1 parade lasted 6 hours starting at 1 pm
but get there early since it's crowded. We and
everyone else stood / danced on the bleachers
most of the time but you can sit as needed. On
Days 2 and 3 we were able to sit at the front of
the bleachers which made for better pictures.
all night, finishing up with fireworks at 4:30 am!
Colombians really know how to party! Here's a
breakdown of the three major parade days:
- Day 1. Battle of Flowers -- The biggest
parade with floats and live music acts and
boisterous high-energy crowds. Don't miss it! - Day 2. Great Folkloric Parade -- No floats,
emphasis on traditional costumes & dancing.
Great for photos but crowds more subdued. - Day 3. Great Fantasy Parade -- Costumes a
bit more risque, dances more international.
Crowds bigger than Day 2 but not like Day 1.
Crowd energy matters because a highlight of
the parade (for us anyway) was the party going
on all around us. We made instant friends with
the Colombians near us. The ones who spoke a
little English happily filled us in on who was
Carnival Queen, which dances were which, etc.
And when the whole crowd started chanting as
one during their favorite songs it was powerful.
The Day 1 parade lasted 6 hours starting at 1 pm
but get there early since it's crowded. We and
everyone else stood / danced on the bleachers
most of the time but you can sit as needed. On
Days 2 and 3 we were able to sit at the front of
the bleachers which made for better pictures.
| Our Airbnb in Barranquilla offered a great view but was close to the Event Center so super noisy! |
| Carnival Day 3 |
| Ready for Day 2 of the party! |
| New friends! These guys kept sharing shots of aguardiente with us! |
| It's much easier to snag front-row seats on Days 2 and 3 for those great up-close photos |