Farewell to Carnival: Mojácar ends its festivities with traditional ‘burial of the sardine’ ceremony

CARNIVAL festivities in Mojácar came to a close for 2023 on Wednesday, February 22 with the traditional ‘burial of the carnival sardine’ ceremony. ‘The Burial of the Sardine’ is an unforgettable spectacle that marks the end of the carnival season.

Mojácar’s sardine was made of papier-mache and filled with fireworks. After a mass was said, a grand procession winded through the streets to Mojácar’s Plaza Nueva, where the carnival sardine was set on fire and the ashes were buried. The burning of the sardine symbolises the end of the carnival season and the beginning of Lent.

This year, the sardine featured images of marine life, to highlight the risk to our oceans from littering and climate change.

As a final farewell to the carnival, the Mojácar Council offered churros with chocolate for the audience, providing a much-needed boost of energy and sweetness to cap off the festivities.

The Burial of the Sardine may mark the end of the carnival season, but it doesn’t mean an end to the excitement. Carnival may be over for now, but the memories and the spirit of the celebration will live on until next year.