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Carnaval de Ponce
Poster bill of the 2011 Carnaval de Ponce, celebrated 2–8 March 2011, in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Official name	Carnaval Ponceño
Also called	Carnaval de Ponce
Type	Local, cultural
Celebrations	Parades, parties, dances, music, food
Date	Week before Ash Wednesday
2023 date	18-21 March
2024 date	14-17 February
Frequency	Annual
First time	1858
Related to	Lent

The Carnaval de Ponce (English: Ponce Carnival), officially Carnaval Ponceño, is an annual celebration of the Carnival holiday held in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The celebration lasts one week, and like most observations of the holiday ends on Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras Day, the day before Ash Wednesday). Thus, like the Carnival holiday in general, it is usually held in February and or March. It dates back to 1858. Some authorities, such as the Smithsonian Institution, believe the Ponce Carnaval can be traced to as far back as 250 years ago. The Carnaval coincides with the Mardi Gras of New Orleans, the Carnival of Venice, and Rio de Janeiro's Carnival and hundreds of other places that observe this holiday around the world. The estimated attendance is 100,000. Scenes of the 2011 Carnaval Ponceño were featured in the Travel Channel on 7 August 2011.

History

There are no documents stating the official origin of the Carnaval, but there are documents mentioning the celebration as early as 1858. The Carnaval de Ponce thus began in 1858 and was started as a mask dance by a Spaniard by the name of José de la Guardia. The masquerade dance continued as a tradition through the years, but it was not until the 1950s that the municipal government added the parade to the Carnaval. In the early 1960s, the Carnaval began to integrate floats that represented civic and cultural institutions, public and private residential communities, schools, colleges and universities, banking, industry and commerce. The Office of Cultural Development of the Municipality of Ponce explains that “it is believed that the influence of the Nice Carnival extended to Barcelona and that immigrants from Barcelona brought it to Ponce. With the passing of time Poceans have added their own touches with Afro-Antillean music that fills the celebrations with percussion, rhythm and happiness."

In June 1995, Carnaval de Ponce was taken to New York City where, during the Puerto Rican Day Parade, over 200 entertainers, folk artists and musicians from Ponce, in addition to the Banda Municipal de Ponce and the Carnival's Queen and Child Queen, marched down New York's Fifth Avenue as part of that City's Puerto Rican Day Celebration. During the week leading to the Parade, folk artists from the Carnaval de Ponce, toured the City teaching children to make the traditional Ponce carnival's masks. In 2012, a local news weekly called Carnaval de Ponce "Puerto Rico's National Carnival".

Costumes and masks

One of the traditions of the Carnaval is the appearance of the "vejigantes", which is a colorful costume traditionally representing the devil or evil. Vejigantes carry blown cow bladders with which they make sounds and hit carnival attendees throughout the processions.

The traditional vejigante masks of the Ponce carnival are made of paper mache and are characterized by the presence of multiple horns. The mask was developed by Ponce artisans in the early part of the 20th century. They are made from newsprint paper mixed with homemade glue and paint. Sophisticated Ponce carnival masks are sought after by mask collectors and masks from Ponce have become a symbol of Puerto Rico at large.

The Carnaval ends with the Burial of the Sardine, at which point everyone sings a song in Spanish that translates into: The burial of the Sardine event started in 1967. (The Ball Dance was also started in 1967.The burial of the Sardine event started in 1967.

The Carnival is dead now
They are burying him;
Throw just a little dirt in
So he can rise again.

Economics

The municipal government invests close to $100,000 in the Carnival and the event infuses some $500,000 into the city's economy.

List of events

The Carnaval starts on the Wednesday before Ash Wednesday, and the events are as follows.

Wednesday: Vejigantes Party
Thursday: King Momo Entrance Parade
Friday: Crowning of the Child Queen
Saturday: Crowning of the Carnival Adult Queen
Sunday: Main Parade
Monday: Carnival's Ball Dance
Tuesday: Burial of the Sardine

Carnaval queens and child queens

In 1959, the Carnaval introduced the crowning of a Carnaval queen. This was followed, in 1973, with the crowning of a Carnaval child queen. The following are the Carnaval queens and child queens.

Carnaval Queens

Carnaval Child queens

See also

• Feria de Artesanías de Ponce
• Ponce Jazz Festival
• Fiesta Nacional de la Danza
• Día Mundial de Ponce
• Festival Nacional de la Quenepa
• Bienal de Arte de Ponce
• Festival de Bomba y Plena de San Antón
• Carnaval de Vejigantes
• Festival Nacional Afrocaribeño

Notes

1. Due to seismic activity in the area, the Municipality shortened the 2020 Carnaval from 7 to 3 days.
2. Update: Due to seismic activity concerns, the 2020 Carnival was further shortened from 3 days to a single day: 23 February 2020.
3. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was a one-day only event and took place on 23 February 2020.
4. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was a one-day only event and took place on 23 February 2020.

References

1. Ponce Carnival 2023 is Puerto Rico’s Carnival: El Carnaval de Ponce or Carnaval Ponceño (Ponce Carnival) is Puerto Rico’s big traditional carnival. Ponce is Puerto Rico’s big southern city, so it is less Americanized than the capital San Juan. New York Latin Culture Magazine. 27 January 2023. Accessed 5 February 2023.Archive.
2. Folclor y tradición en el Carnaval de la Playa de Ponce. Yenilis Mattei Ruiz. Esnoticiapr.com Ponce, Puerto Rico: Periódico Es Noticia. 26 January to 8 February 2024. Year 8. Issue 214. Accessed 25 February 2022. p.10. Archived.
3. PONCE CELEBRARA SU TRADICIONAL CARNAVAL PONCEÑO. Noticias de Ponce. 29 January 2020. Accessed 30 January 2020.
4. CARNAVAL DE PONCE SE LLEVARÁ A CABO UN SOLO DIA,SERA EL DOMINGO 23 DE FEBRERO. Carlos José Vázquez. 9 February 2020. Accessed 24 February 2020.
5. Carnaval de Ponce será rodante. Voces del Sur. 1 February 2021. Accessed 1 February 2021.
6. Carnaval Ponceño estrena modalidad “rodante”: La edición #163 del tradicional evento, se realizará de manera rodante, con el fin de impactar las comunidades de la Ciudad Señorial. El Sol de Puerto Rico. 1 February 2021. Accessed 1 February 2021.
7. Regresa el Carnaval Ponceño conmemorando los 330 años de la fundación de Ponce. eladoquintimes. 23 February 2022. Accessed 24 February 2022. Archived.
8. Ponce Carnival Goes International In its 150th Anniversary Edition. Let's Go To Ponce. Archived 11 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Ponce Carnival. Retrieved 12 April 2010.
9. A Puerto Rican Carnival: How to Dress for the Ponce Carnival; Introduction: What is a Carnival? The Smithsonian Institution. 1993 and 2002. Accessed 1 February 2019.
10. Attendance Retrieved April 12, 2010.
11. Carnaval Ponceño y escultura de arena por Travel Channel. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
12. Activan plan de seguridad para Carnaval. Archived 2 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
13. Activan plan de seguridad para Carnaval. Archived 2 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
14. Carnaval, Carnval, Llego el Carnaval! Archived 2 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine El Señorial. Ponce Municipal Government. "Anuario: Carnaval Ponceño 2013." February–March 2013. Page 18. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
15. Tradiciones de la Perla del Sur: Fiestas del Carnaval de Ponce. Archived 20 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
16. Mantienen viva la tradición carnavalesca. Reinaldo Millán La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 6 February 2013. Year 31. Issue 1523. Page 24. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
17. Tradiciones de la Perla del Sur: Fiestas del Carnaval de Ponce. Archived 20 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
18. Carmelo Rosario Natal. Ponce En Su Historia Moderna: 1945-2002. Published by Secretaría de Cultura y Turismo of the Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 2003. p. 91.
19. Celebran 160 años del carnaval en Ponce: Pese a los azotes y las vicisitudes por culpa del huracán María, los ponceños festejarán en grande. Josefina Barceló Jiménez. El Nuevo Dia. Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. 4 February 2018. Accessed 15 February 2018.
20. Antonio R. Gomez and Margarita Diaz. Unmasking the Ponce Carnival. Daily News. New York, New York. Puerto Rican Day parade Special. 8 June 1995.
21. Activan plan de seguridad para Carnaval. Archived 2 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
22. Antonio R. Gomez and Margarita Diaz. Unmasking the Ponce Carnival. Daily News. New York, New York. Puerto Rican Day Parade Special Supplement. 8 June 1995.
23. The Smithsonian Institution. A Puerto Rican Carnival: How to Dress for the Ponce Carnival. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
24. Carmelo Rosario Natal. Ponce En Su Historia Moderna: 1945-2002. Published by Secretaría de Cultura y Turismo of the Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 2003. p. 91.
25. Carmelo Rosario Natal. Ponce En Su Historia Moderna: 1945-2002. Published by Secretaría de Cultura y Turismo of the Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 2003. p. 91.
26. Cierra La Sonora el Carnaval Ponceño . La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 6 February 2013. Year 31. Issue 1523. Page 28. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
27. Carnival Program Retrieved April 12, 2010.
28. Travel Ponce Retrieved April 12, 2010.
29. Unless otherwise indicated, this information is taken from Carnaval Ponceños 2012: Dedicado a los "Ponceños y Ponceñistas destacados en los Medios de Comunicación". Page 34. Municipio Autónomo de Ponce. Oficina de Desarrollo Cultural. February 2012.
30. Carnaval Ponceño 2012: Dedicado a 'Los Ponceños y Ponceñistas destacados en los Medios de Comunicacion' (Municipio Autonomo de Ponce, 2012; CEE-SA-12-3910), page <no page number; not numbered>.
31. Ponce celebra su tradicional Carnaval.
32. Cierra La Sonora el Carnaval Ponceño . La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 6 February 2013. Year 31. Issue 1523. Page 28. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
33. Todo listo para la celebración del Carnaval Ponceño 2014. RadioIsla. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
34. Listo Ponce para los 156 años de su carnaval. Darisabel Texidor Guadalupe. Primera Hora. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
35. Carnaval de Ponce, 2019. (carnaval brochure - "Edicion 161 del Carnaval Ponceño.") Municipio de Ponce. Oficina de Desarrollo Cultural. Ponce, Puerto Rico. "Reinas del Carnaval Ponceño." p. 14.
36. Carnaval de Ponce, 2019. (carnaval brochure - "Edicion 161 del Carnaval Ponceño.") Municipio de Ponce. Oficina de Desarrollo Cultural. Ponce, Puerto Rico. "Reinas del Carnaval Ponceño." p. 14.
37. Este viernes inicia la edición 159 del Carnaval Ponceño. Archived 16 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine WIPR TV. San Juan, PuertO Rico. 22 February 2017. Accessed 15 February 2018.
38. Celebran 160 años del carnaval en Ponce: Pese a los azotes y las vicisitudes por culpa del huracán María, los ponceños festejarán en grande. Josefina Barceló Jiménez. El Nuevo Dia. Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. 4 February 2018. Accessed 15 February 2018.
39. Carnaval de Ponce, 2019. (carnaval brochure - "Edición 161 del Carnaval Ponceño.") Municipio de Ponce. Oficina de Desarrollo Cultural. Ponce, Puerto Rico. "S. M. Adlin Camille Mendez Vargas." p. 16.
40. Isla Caribe. Facebook page dated 19 February 2020. Accessed 28 January 2024.
41. Carnaval Ponceño / Ponce Carnival 2020. BW. Discovering Puerto Rico. Accessed 17 December 2021. Archived.
42. A punto la histórica versión rodante del Carnaval Ponceño: El gran cierre del evento tendrá lugar en La Playa de Ponce, donde se realizarán las clásicas letanías, el Entierro de la Sardina, la Quema de Júa y la develación del Rey Momo. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Periodico La Perla del Sur. (Printed version: Year 38. Issue 1941. 10 to 16 February 2021. p. 12.) Accessed 10 February 2021.
43. Carnaval de Ponce regresa a los barrios. Esnoticiapr.com Ponce, Puerto Rico: Periódico Es Noticia. 25 February to 10 March 2022. Year 6. Issue 164. Accessed 25 February 2022. p.14.
44. Carnaval Ponceño 2012: Dedicado a 'Los Ponceños y Ponceñistas destacados en los Medios de Comunicacion' (Municipio Autonomo de Ponce, 2012; CEE-SA-12-3910), page <no page number; not numbered>.
45. Ponce celebra su tradicional Carnaval.
46. Cierra La Sonora el Carnaval Ponceño. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 6 February 2013. Year 31. Issue 1523. Page 28. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
47. Todo listo para la celebración del Carnaval Ponceño 2014. RadioIsla. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
48. Listo Ponce para los 156 años de su carnaval. Darisabel Texidor Guadalupe. Primera Hora. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
49. Carnaval de Ponce, 2019. (carnaval brochure - "Edicion 161 del Carnaval Ponceño.") Municipio de Ponce. Oficina de Desarrollo Cultural. Ponce, Puerto Rico. "Reinas Infantiles del Carnaval Ponceño." p. 15.
50. Carnaval de Ponce, 2019. (carnaval brochure - "Edicion 161 del Carnaval Ponceño.") Municipio de Ponce. Oficina de Desarrollo Cultural. Ponce, Puerto Rico. "Reinas Infantiles del Carnaval Ponceño." p. 15.
51. Este viernes inicia la edición 159 del Carnaval Ponceño. Archived 16 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine WIPR TV. San Juan, PuertO Rico. 22 February 2017. Accessed 15 February 2018.
52. Celebran 160 años del carnaval en Ponce: Pese a los azotes y las vicisitudes por culpa del huracán María, los ponceños festejarán en grande. Josefina Barceló Jiménez. El Nuevo Dia. Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. 4 February 2018. Accessed 15 February 2018.
53. Carnaval de Ponce, 2019. (carnaval brochure - "Edicion 161 del Carnaval Ponceño.") Municipio de Ponce. Oficina de Desarrollo Cultural. Ponce, Puerto Rico. "S. M. Gloriangely Velez Batista I." p. 18.
54. Isla Caribe. Facebook page dated 19 February 2020. Accessed 28 January 2024.
55. Carnaval Ponceño / Ponce Carnival 2020. BW. Discovering Puerto Rico. Accessed 17 December 2021.Archived.
56. A punto la histórica versión rodante del Carnaval Ponceño: El gran cierre del evento tendrá lugar en La Playa de Ponce, donde se realizarán las clásicas letanías, el Entierro de la Sardina, la Quema de Júa y la develación del Rey Momo. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Periodico La Perla del Sur. (Printed version: Year 38. Issue 1941. 10 to 16 February 2021. p. 12.) Accessed 10 February 2021.
57. Carnaval de Ponce regresa a los barrios. Esnoticiapr.com Ponce, Puerto Rico: Periódico Es Noticia. 25 February to 10 March 2022. Year 6. Issue 164. Accessed 25 February 2022. p.14.

External links

• Carnaval information at StudioPorto
• Carnaval information at EnCarnaval.com
• Al Carnaval de Ponce at Primera Hora
• Carnaval information at Puerto Rico Museum of Art
• Slide show of the Carnival
• SHOPPER'S WORLD; Puerto Rican Carnival Masks. Mark Kurlansky. The New York Times. 1990. (NYT: News about masks, vegigantes, etc.)

v t e Ponce, Puerto Rico
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Barrios	Anón Bucaná Canas Canas Urbano Capitanejo Cerrillos Coto Laurel Cuarto Guaraguao Machuelo Abajo Machuelo Arriba Magueyes Magueyes Urbano Maragüez Marueño Montes Llanos Playa Portugués Portugués Urbano Primero Quebrada Limón Quinto Real Sabanetas San Antón San Patricio Segundo Sexto Tercero Tibes Vayas
Beaches	El Tuque Punta Salinera Las Salinas Playa de Ponce El Malecón Playa del Club Náutico de Ponce La Guancha Isla de Ratones Isla Cardona Pelícano Guardia Costanera Blanca Carrucho Ensenadita Larga
Museums	Museo de Arte de Ponce Museo Parque de Bombas Museo Castillo Serrallés Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Tibes Museo Hacienda Buena Vista Museo Casa Paoli Museo de la Masacre de Ponce Museo de la Música Puertorriqueña Museo del Deporte Museo de la Historia de Ponce Museo de la Arquitectura Ponceña Museo del Autonomismo Puertorriqueño Museo Biblioteca RHC Panteón Nacional Román Baldorioty de Castro
Hotels	Ponce Hilton Golf & Casino Resort Holiday Inn & Tropical Casino Ponce Plaza Hotel & Casino Hotel Meliá The Fox Hotel Hotel Ponce Intercontinental Solace by the Sea Caribe Hotel
Events	Carnaval de Ponce Feria de Artesanías de Ponce Ponce Jazz Festival Fiesta Nacional de la Danza Día Mundial de Ponce Festival Nacional de la Quenepa Bienal de Arte de Ponce Nightlife in Ponce, Puerto Rico Las Justas Cruce a Nado Internacional
Theaters	Teatro La Perla Teatro Fox Delicias Ponce Towne Center Caribbean Cinemas Teatro Antono Paoli Teatro Vicente Murga Concha Acústica de Ponce
Parks	Parque de la Abolición Parque de la Ceiba Parque del Tricentenario Parque Ecológico Urbano Parque Familiar Julio Enrique Monagas Parque Luis A. "Wito" Morales Parque Pedro Albizu Campos Parque Urbano Dora Colón Clavell Plaza Las Delicias La Guancha
Hospitals	Hospital Damas Hospital San Lucas Hospital Dr. Pila Hospital Oncológico Andrés Grillasca Hospital San Cristóbal Steven Anthony Children's Hospital
Universities	Ana G. Méndez University Caribbean University Universidad Interamericana Ponce Health Sciences University Pontificia Universidad Católica PUCPR School of Architecture PUCPR School of Law Universidad de Puerto Rico
Islands	Cardona Ratones Frío Caja de Muertos Morrillito Gatas Jueyes
Rivers	Anón Bayagán Blanco Bucaná Canas Cerrillos Chiquito Inabón Jacaguas Matilde Pastillo Portugués Prieto San Patricio
Mountains	Cerro de Punta Peñón de Ponce Cerro del Vigía Cerro del Diablo Monte Jayuya Cerro Maravilla

v t e Carnival around the world
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Caribbean	Antigua Bahamas Barbados Cayman Islands Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic Haiti Nevis Puerto Rico (Ponce) Trinidad and Tobago
South America	Argentina Buenos Aires Gualeguaychú Murga Bolivia Oruro Brazil Rio São Paulo Bahia Recife Colombia Barranquilla Negros y Blancos French Guiana Cayenne Guyana Panama Las Tablas Peru Cajamarca Uruguay
Oceania	Australia
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