The best of Carnival in Benalmadena 2024

January 24, 2024
Last updated: February 13, 2024

This year, the Carnival in Benalmadena will be celebrated from January 29 to February 11. The festivity will start in the schools, which will have their own carnival parties starting at the end of January, concluding with a big kid’s party on the morning of Saturday, February 3. Carnival for us all, bigger kids, starts with a Drag Queen Gala on February 2. From there on, it’s a succession of parades and parties for all ages, concluding on February 11 with our cute little lizard being burnt on the beach!… Or so we thought 😉 Puerto Marina added it’s own parties to the list, and now Carnival goes on until February 18!

Here you’ll find the full program – both the original, published by Benalmadena’s City Council, and the translation to English, below. I added maps with the routes of the parades, to make it easier to join the fun. All you have to do now is to choose a fun costume 🙂 See you there!

The program

Here are the 6 pages of the original program that contain all the activities for 2024’s Carnival in Benalmadena. I added the pictures of each page in the original order (and you can slide through them!) but notice how it comes and goes in time – the program is not sequential. The translation that follows is in chronological sequence, tough, to help us organize our schedules!

Monday, January 29

Children’s Carnival in the Municipal Schools
From January 29 to February 3

BENALMADENA PUEBLO
Children’s Parade Rainbow Daycare

Saturday, February 3

Proclamation of Carnival 2024 and XXII Mejillonada (mussels)
13:30 Plaza de la Mezquita-Arroyo de la Miel.
Introduction: Isabel Menéndez “Maruchi”.
Pregonero (Speaker) 2024: Rafael Estades Angel “El Morta”
Performance by Carnival Groups, Bar service and free portions of mussels.
Collaboration: Pescadería Los Mellizos

Above: Plaza de la Mesquita in Arroyo de la Miel, where the Drag Queen Gala, the Grand Gala of the Children’s School, and the proclamation of Carnival 2024, among other carnival events, will happen.

BENALMÁDENA PUEBLO
Great Carnival Parade in Benalmadena Pueblo
Gathering for the parade from 16:30 to 17:30 at Jardines del Muro.
17:30 Departure of the parade
Those who want to participate in the costume contest must register and get a number with Peña El Tipo. It is essential to collect a number to be eligible for the prizes. Throughout the parade the Jury will score the best costumes.

Great Carnival Party of Benalmádena Pueblo
From 19:00 to 22:00 at Plaza del Alguacil.
Performance by the “Los Papitos” Orchestra.
Presentation of the costume contest prizes.

Above: Plaza del Alguacil

Sunday, February 4

ARROYO DE LA MIEL
Great Carnival Party for our Elders
12:00 (noon) at Plaza de la Mezquita, Arroyo de la Miel
Election of Grand Lady, Knight of the Carnival, and costume contest for elders.
Organized by: Delegation of Social Welfare, Seniors and Delegation of Popular Festivals and Traditions.

Gastronomic Carnival · Carnival Callos*
Starting at 13:00 Plaza de la Mezquita-Arroyo de la Miel.
Collaborator: Peña Amigos del Carnival “El Tipo”.
performance of Carnival Groups.
* Callos are the internal organs, such as the stomach or the guts, of an animal – usually young cows (ternera), pork or lamb. (Well, like sausages, maybe it would be better if we didn’t know what goes in there, right?) The Callos are prepared and served as a rich soup – see a recipe and a picture here!

Great Carnival Dance for our Seniors
17:00 at the Active Participation Center for Seniors Anica Torres (in the Plaza de la Mesquita)
Organized by: Delegation of Social Welfare and Senior Citizens.

Wednesday, February 7

ARROYO DE LA MIEL
Carnival Groups Contest
20:00 at Casa de la Cultura
Performance of Carnival Groups.
Coordinated by: Peña Amigos del Carnival “El Tipo”

Above: Casa de la Cultura, in Arroyo de la Miel

Saturday, February 10

BENALMÁDENA PUEBLO
Gastronomic Carnival and Performance by Comparsas and Murgas *
14:00 at Plaza de las 3 Culturas.
Performance of Carnival Groups.
Carnival Stew
Collaboration: Peña Nuestra Señora de la Cruz
Coordination: Peña Amigos del Carnival “El Tipo”
* Murgas are carnival street bands; comparsas are carnival groups, usually dressing the same costume.

Above: Plaza de las 3 culturas

ARROYO DE LA MIEL
Grand Carnival Parade of Arroyo de la Miel
Gathering from 16:30 to 17:30 at the Tivoli parking esplanade.

Above: Directions for the Tivoli Parking, the same place where Benalmadena’s Street market happens every Friday 😉
17:30 – Departure of the parade
Those who want to participate in the costume contest must register and get a number with Peña El Tipo. It is essential to collect a number to be eligible for the prizes. Throughout the parade the Jury will score the best costumes.

As the parade ends, the Carnival party starts – both at the Plaza de la Mesquita! 😉

Great Carnival Party of Arroyo de la Miel
From 19:30 to 22:30 at the Plaza de la Mezquita.
Dance with the Orchestra: Kalima.
Performance of Carnival Groups.
Presentation of the costume contest prizes.

Sunday, February 11

ARROYO DE LA MIEL
Solemn Parade and Burning of the Lizard (Quema de la Lagartija)
12:00 (noon) Start of the parade

Gastronomic Carnival and Apotheosis of Comparsas and Murgas
14:00 Plaza del Castillo Bil Bil.
Performance by Benalmádena Carnival Groups (Murgas and Comparsas).
Carnival Callos and bar with popular prices.

Above: Plaza del Castillo Bil Bil

Extra! Carnival in Puerto Marina

Puerto Marina, also known as Puerto de Benalmadena, will have carnival too! The program has just been issued by the Ayuntamiento, and here it is:

Saturday, February 17

12:00 to 14:00 – Kid’s workshops
13:00 – La Murga del Chino (The Murga of the Chinese)
16:00 to 18:00 – Kid’s workshops
17:00 – La Murga del Chino (The Murga of the Chinese)
18:00 – Batucada*
* At least in Brazil, where I believe the term comes from, a batucada is a group of people playing percussion instruments (or using anything as a percussion instrument; tables are often the ideal batucada instrument)!

Sunday, February 18

12:00 to 14:00 – Kid’s workshops
12:00 – Batucada
13:00 – La Murga del Chino (The Murga of the Chinese)
17:00 to 18:00 – Kid’s workshops
17:00 – La Murga del Chino (The Murga of the Chinese)

Conclusion

If you are in Benalmadena during carnival, you are lucky. There will be parties for all age groups, parades and even a Drag Queen Gala! Enjoy this opportunity to see the traditional quema de la lagartija, take advantage of the very mild winter in the Costa del Sol and party like a local!