Carnival in Nazaré is much more than some days of fun, joy and celebration. It is an emotional soul state, a cultural reference, the best time of the year for this people. Carnival runs through their veins! Therefore there isn’t any other alike and for fun the Carnival of Nazaré is said to be “the most Nazarene of Portugal”.
The Carnival of Nazaré can’t be explained, one has to feel it. First of all, it is a celebration of the local people; it is a spontaneous diversion that is far out to fade in the Carnival parades, so loved by the visitors.
To feel the true Carnival one has to go to the Balls in the Associations, to see the jests out in the streets, to watch the comic and ironic plays “Cegadas” that spare no one in its criticisms.
To this Carnival no TV artists are invited, the kings are local people connected to past Carnivals; there aren’t any samba schools; the Marginal avenue welcomes almost a thousand of disguised people in different groups, each one dancing along the rhythm of its own and characteristic music “Marcha”, according to the general theme for the year’s Carnival (in 2008 “…’Tás a Mangar” – are you joking) or according to their own theme.
For decades this genuine way of living Carnival has inspired artists, poets, painters… Alves Redol wrote about the importance of this celebration to the Nazarenes – “Everyone needs to have fun. Because one’s living conditions are great? No, almost always because one’s living conditions are very hard. But one’s heart will burst if in it only sadness lives”.
So, let’s celebrate life and joy! There it is: CARNIVAL! Let’s party!