Pego Carnival 2026: The great party of costumes, music and freedom in the Marina Alta.

In Pego, when February arrives, routine stops and magic takes over the streets. It is not just any carnival. Here, the party has history, character and an identity that makes it unique in the Valencian Community. For a few days, the entire town is transformed into a stage of music, costumes and debauchery, where tradition mixes with creativity in a celebration that leaves no one indifferent. But the Pego Carnival is not just a party: it is a way of understanding life. From its origins until today, this celebration has resisted prohibitions, has evolved and has managed to preserve its rebellious and festive soul.

Experience the Pego Carnival like a local.

If it is your first time at the Pego Carnival, here are some tips:
Choose your costume well: here people take it seriously. The more creative, the better.
Get ready for a long night: the party lasts until dawn, so come with a lot of energy.
Let yourself go: it's a celebration without rules. Enjoy, dance and be whoever you want to be.

Key dates:

• Saturday 14 February: Baixada del Riu Bullent
• Saturday 15 February: Grand Carnival Parade and Festival d’Arts Escèniques
• Saturday 21 February: Pinyata and Burial of the Sardine

The history of the Pego Carnival: an indomitable spirit

The Pego Carnival has its roots in times gone by, when the festival marked the beginning of Lent with music, costumes and a good dose of debauchery before religious contemplation. However, the Franco dictatorship banned Carnival celebrations throughout Spain. In Pego, as in many other places, the tradition fell asleep... but not forgotten.
It was in the 80s when the town decided to bring back its festival with more force than ever. People went out into the streets dressed up, without asking permission, without fear, as an act of freedom. Since then, the Pego carnival has not stopped growing, becoming one of the most anticipated festivals in the Marina Alta and a reference in the Valencian Community.
Today, the festival maintains that indomitable essence: an explosion of colour, joy and transgression that gains more followers every year.

Essential events of the Pego Carnival

If there is something that defines the Pego Carnival, it is its ability to reinvent itself and surprise in each edition. From the first to the last day, the party is lived with intensity, and each event has its own character.

1. Carnival Saturday: the great parade and the craziest night: It is the most anticipated time of the year. The streets are filled with costumes, troupes and music, in a celebration that lasts until dawn. There are no rules: here everyone is whoever they want to be. From the most elaborate fantasies to the most improvised costumes, everything has a place on this unique night.
2. Baixada del Riu Bullent: a carnival descent through the water: On the Saturday before Carnival, the people of Pego swap the streets for the water. Homemade boats and costumes sail down the Bullent River in one of the most fun and crazy traditions of the festival. It is a moment of pure fun where creativity has no limits.
3. Festival d’Arts Escèniques: art takes to the streets: Since 2020, the Pego Carnival has added one more ingredient to its explosive recipe: the Festival d’Arts Escèniques. During the night of the carnival, different spaces in the town become stages with live music, dance and performances, giving a new air to the party.
4. La Pinyata: the end of the party with the Burial of the Sardine: Like all good things, Carnival also has an end. The Pinyata, celebrated the following Saturday, puts the finishing touch with a parade where the people of Pego say goodbye to the festival until the following year. The Burial of the Sardine, with its symbolic burning, marks the beginning of Lent.

The Pego Carnival is not just a festival, it is an experience. A piece of living history that continues to beat with the same intensity with which it re-emerged more than 40 years ago. Are you going to miss it?