Aruba Carnival
Aruba Carnival is the biggest party on the island’s calendar, a season of steel bands, soca and tumba rhythms, and feathered, sequined costumes that fill the streets of Oranjestad and San Nicolas. It began in 1954 with small street festivities in San Nicolas, and the first island-wide public carnival, with its first carnival queen, followed in 1955. Since 1966 the season has been run by the Stichting Arubaanse Carnaval, and it has grown into a Caribbean spectacle that draws thousands of locals and visitors every year.
The season officially opens on 11 November at 11:11 a.m. and builds through January and February. It ends on the night before Ash Wednesday with the midnight burning of King Momo, a life-size straw effigy whose flames close the celebrations for another year.
Carnival Highlights in Aruba:
- Tumba Festival & Royalty Elections: Early in the season, local composers compete for the carnival’s official road march in the Tumba Festival. The carnival King, Queen and Youth royalty are crowned in glittering elections that set the tone for the parades ahead.
- Tivoli Lighting Parade: A night-time procession produced by the Tivoli club since 1981. Floats and costumes glow with thousands of lights, and brass and steel bands keep the crowd moving well past dark.
- Jouvert Morning in San Nicolas: Before dawn, revelers in pajamas pour into the streets of Sunrise City and dance behind live music trucks until the sun comes up. It’s one of the most carefree events of the carnival.
- Grand Carnival Parades: The season’s climax comes in the last weekend before Lent with two marathon parades. The first winds through San Nicolas, and the grand finale fills downtown Oranjestad with hours of costumed troupes, towering headpieces and pounding road music.
Tips for Visitors & Trip Planning:
- Free Entry & Joining In: The street parades are free to watch. Visitors who want to jump in can often rent or order a simpler costume and join a carnival group for a parade. Contact the groups well ahead, as costumes are made months in advance.
- Best Viewing Spots: The parades last many hours, and the best curbside spots along the routes in Oranjestad and San Nicolas get claimed early. Bring a folding chair, stay behind the barriers and give dancers room to move.
- Getting There: Queen Beatrix International Airport is just outside Oranjestad, and San Nicolas is about 20 km down the southern coast. Roads close on parade days, so take a taxi or the Arubus public bus rather than hunting for parking near the routes.
- What to Wear: The Aruban sun is strong even in carnival season, so wear light clothing, comfortable shoes, a hat and plenty of sunscreen, and keep water with you. For Jouvert, dress in pajamas you don’t mind getting splashed.
- Accommodation: Carnival coincides with Aruba’s peak winter high season, when resorts along Eagle Beach and Palm Beach are busiest, so booking well in advance is strongly recommended.
- Explore Oranjestad & Aruba: Between parades, snorkel the reefs on a catamaran cruise, take a UTV ride to the Natural Bridge ruins and California Lighthouse, or browse Oranjestad’s pastel Dutch colonial storefronts — browse top Oranjestad tours and activities here.
The full carnival calendar, with parade dates and routes, is published each season by the Stichting Arubaanse Carnaval and Aruba’s tourism authority. See details below, under “Event Related Information” section.
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