Carnival in Malaga!

So it's time for Carnival in Spain!

What's Carnival, you ask?
Well, it's basically the time right before Lent, generally in February, when Spaniards, Italians, Brazilians and basically all of the Catholic world celebrate, by throwing parties in the streets, dressing up in elaborate costumes, having costume contests, singing contests, drinking and being merry, having parades; basically the works, for a week or so. (Technically it lasts six weekends here in Malaga, but the street fair parts last the last 9 days.)

So this weekend was the beginning of Malaga's Carnival en la Calle.

For the most part Carnival is basically like our Halloween; where children get dressed up in cute-sie costumes and parade around the streets.

Cute little chick

Adorable little chef!

So this sunday Lenny, Sarai and I went to the children's costume contest in Plaza de la Constitucion and watched the kids, aged 2-12 come out with their big elaborate colorful costumes and be crowned the Princes and Princesses of Malaga's Carnival 2012.

Knight in Shining Armor - this kid had an awesome costume!

One of the girls in her ginormous Carnival costume;
NOTE the small children in costume all along the side of the stage!

She's four years old and was so adorable!

The front

The back! So elaborate!

This Care Bear won the Prince of the littlest competators: he was only 2, and had the binky in his mouth the whole time!
Soooo cute!

This one was by far my favorite costume!

Huge, colorful, elaborate Carnival costumes; and these were just the kids!
I can't wait to see what the rest of the week's events and displays include!

More to come on the rest of the week of Carnival!