Andorra's Carnival Defies Weather with Parades, Satire, and Traditions

Andorra's Carnival festivities persisted through snow, wind, sleet, and rain across parishes, featuring parades, satirical skits, puppet traditions, and packed mock trials that lampooned local rivalries, housing woes, and national politics.

In Canillo, Saturday's Arlequins Parade navigated flurries from the Perecaus building to Cal Federico. The Ros family formally handed over the original 1933 Garibaldi and Florentina puppets—made by Antoni Sansa Farré—to the local council. Carnival Kings arrived to cheers from Fadrins and Arlequins. Cònsol Major Jordi Alcobé called them "a piece of our living and collective history" and thanked the family. Events wrapped with the Carnestoltes hanging outside the tourist office, music by Canillo’s Band Tocant, a family show *El meu amic Brutus* by Xip Xap, a charity hot chocolate for Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, and a parade to Plaça del Prat del Riu. Monday's schedule includes the Carnestoltes trial, burning, and botifarrada in Plaça del Telecabina.

Andorra la Vella and Escaldes-Engordany opened Friday with a low-key Carnestoltes hanging amid snow and rain. Xtravaganxa's 'Pasarel·la extravagant' on Avinguda Meritxell mocked influencers avoiding Catalan, high-rise housing, association deals, and border lines like Rotonda creperie—delivered on a drenched stage without sound. Saturday's 6pm joint parade from Parc de la Mola through key streets to Plaça del Poble endured sleet, led by Batucada Bloco Sambara. Groups included ABBA's Dancing Queens, African Vibes from Encamp, Kanixocs as bumper cars, Samba d’Alçada, Star Wars, and La Casa Pairal. Dancing continued inside the Centre de Congressos with shows, botifarrada, and prizes.

Encamp's Saturday midday 'Sant Carnavalí' mass in Plaça del Consell targeted Copríncep Josep-Lluís Serrano, mossèn Àlex Vargas, Cap de Govern Xavier Espot, minister Conxita Marsol, opposition leaders Carine Montaner and Cerni Escalé, and cònsols Laura Mas and Xavier Fernández. Satire hit housing shortages, investors, Andorra Cycling Masters, and global figures like Pedro Sánchez, Santiago Abascal, Nicolás Maduro, Donald Trump, Javier Milei, Nayib Bukele, and Benjamin Netanyahu. A youth protester decried "sky-high rents" and world leaders alongside Gaza references before the Carnestoltes hanging. Conseller Joan Sans praised the youth commission. The 5pm contrabandists' trial in a crowded Plaça dels Arínsols roasted anthropologist-journalist Albert Roig for Ordino's "ugly" Ossa—deemed so hideous the defence faltered—and Robert Lizarte for defecting to Canillo's culture role, branded a "sacrilege." The smugglers' leader masqueraded as Maduro. National jabs criticised Espot's passivity and unqualified officials, while mossèn Álex drew cheers as a youth hero. Tradition prevailed: smugglers acquitted, followed by botifarra and a children's show.

Ordino moved Friday school parades indoors but packed Plaça Major Saturday for dances by Esbart Valls del Nord, Punt Jove, Castellers d’Andorra grallers, Manel Soriano's show, pregó, hot chocolate, and Carnestoltes hanging. Sunday's contrabandists' play shifted indoors to Andorra Congrés Centre Ordino due to rain, turning it into a chaotic tribunal. Forces Especials d’Ordino chased "smelly" smugglers amid gunfire sounds and close-quarters crowds. Skits pilloried empty post-Small States facilities, rugby roadblocks, 'tiny houses,' 40-year-olds living with parents, Parc de Sornàs spending, POUP changes, selective traffic enforcement, and understaffed police. A Miguel Bosé impersonator burst in with a Carnival-twisted *Amante Bandido*, joking about Ordino's steep climbs, snow-clearing woes, "Cota 1.300" vibe, and lack of appeal versus Canillo's "pijo i fino" style—not taxes. Associació de Cultura Popular d’Ordino's Maria Zorzano said 20-30 cast members rehearsed three weeks for fresh sketches from headlines, meeting weekly otherwise, and adapted swiftly. Insults flew in patois-infused "catanyol" before acquittal, confetti, *El Rei Lleó* chicken antics, hot broth, and stew. Afternoon brought a 4.30pm children's costume ball. Wednesday features a free Carnival workshop in Plaça Major, Carnestoltes cremation, testament, sardinada, and funeral procession.

Sant Julià de Lòria saw Sunday family crowds for a parade of groups like Dancing Queens, Kanixocs, Samba d’Alçada, and African Vibes from Plaça Francesc Cairat to Plaça de la Germandat, ending in botifarrada, Soulstorm Band ball, and prizes. Monday offers children's events, Carnestoltes despenjada, trial, and burning.