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Barranquilla Carnival: The World's Second Greatest Carnival

The Barranquilla Carnival — declared a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity — is the world's second-largest carnival after Rio de Janeiro; four days of music, dancing, and extraordinary costumes transform Colombia's Caribbean port city

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1
The Battle of Flowers Parade
The Battle of Flowers parade — the carnival's opening event on Saturday — is the most spectacular procession; The Reina del Carnaval on her flower-covered float leads the procession of cumbia dancers, marimonda clowns and congo dancers down Gran Vía
2
Gran Parada
The Gran Parada on Sunday and Monday - the main carnival procession - stretches for hours; dance groups cumbia, porro, mapale and congo, each with hundreds of participants in elaborate costumes, fill the route
3
Marimonda costume
The marimondan - a carnival costume with an elephant's trunk and donkey ears made of fabric - is Barranquilla's most distinctive carnival character; marimonda represents the spirit of reverence and social equalization that carnival do
4
Joselito Carnaval Burial
The carnival ends on Ash Wednesday with the funeral of Joselito Carnaval - the symbolic figure who "dies" at the end of the festival; his widow's lament and the apparent funeral procession through the streets mark the end of the carnival
5
Congo and Afro-Caribbean Music
The Congo Dance – with its African drumming, elaborate feather costumes and distinctive competitive choreography between Congolese groups – is the most African-rooted of the Barranquilla carnival traditions; the music is raw and powerful
6
UNESCO recognition
The Barranquilla Carnival was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2003 — one of the first inscriptions; the recognition has strengthened the carnival's institutional support and its status as Colombia's most important cultural event