Aruba Carnival 2027: Parade Dates, Routes and Tips

Last updated: November 9, 2026.

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Short answer: Aruba Carnival 2027 runs from the season opening on November 11, 2026, to the Grand Parades on February 6 and 7, 2027. The street parades start on January 9 with the Torch Parade. The two biggest days are the Grand Parade in San Nicolas on Saturday, February 6, and the Grand Parade in Oranjestad on Sunday, February 7, from about noon into the evening. Watching from the roadside is free. Carnival Monday, February 8, is a public holiday.

I grew up with Carnival, and it is the one time of year the whole island plays the same music. Below are the official 2027 dates, what each parade is like, where to stand, and how to get there and back without getting stuck in traffic for hours.

Aruba Carnival 2027 parade dates

These are the 2027 dates published by the Aruba Tourism Authority. Start times and routes for 2027 are not published yet. The times below are what is usual, so check the official program in January before you plan a day around one.

Sources: parade dates from aruba.com; the noon start in Oranjestad from the Aruba Tourism Authority event page; Grand Parade hours from VisitAruba; Carnival Monday from the official holiday list on taxi.aw.

Ash Wednesday is February 10, 2027, and Carnival ends before it. The season closes with the Burning of King Momo, a life-size figure of the Carnival spirit. In recent years it has taken place on Sunday night, right after the Grand Parade in Oranjestad, so expect it on Sunday, February 7, 2027, at the harbor in Oranjestad around midnight. Some older guides still say Shrove Tuesday. The organizing foundation SMAC (+297 582 3777, infosmacaruba@gmail.com) confirms the exact time in the final program.

What each parade is like

Torch Parade (January 9)

The first parade of the season goes through Oranjestad at night. It started with real torches. Today the groups use lights instead. It is smaller and looser than the Grand Parades, and many groups march in matching T-shirts instead of full costumes. Good if you want the music without the crowds.

Children’s Parades (January 23, 24 and 31)

Kids’ Carnival groups parade in Noord, Oranjestad and San Nicolas, in costumes as serious as the adults’. These run in the daytime and feel like a family day out. If you travel with children, this is the parade to see.

Jouvert Morning (January 30)

Jouvert is a pajama party on the streets of San Nicolas. People dance behind music trucks in pajamas from well before dawn until the sun comes up. Wear comfortable pajamas and old shoes. It is the most local event of the season, and the most fun if you are up for an early start.

Lighting Parades (January 30 in Oranjestad, February 4 in San Nicolas)

The Grand Lighting Parade in Oranjestad is a night parade where costumes, floats and dancers are covered in lights. Tivoli, a local social club, has produced it since 1981. San Nicolas has its own Lighting Parade the following Thursday. Spectators often wear light-up hats or glow sticks too.

Grand Parades (February 6 and 7)

These are the big ones, with the full costumes, feathers, floats and road-march music. San Nicolas goes first, on Saturday. Oranjestad closes the season on Sunday, and it is the longest and most watched parade of the year. Plan on four to seven hours outside if you want to see most of it.

Grand Parade routes and where to watch

The 2027 route maps are not out yet. The Aruba Tourism Authority usually publishes a Carnival road map in January. The last published routes, for 2024 (VisitAruba):

• Oranjestad: from the Aruba Entertainment Center along Avenida Milo Croes, then along L.G. Smith Boulevard, ending at the Wendy’s roundabout on the boulevard.
• San Nicolas: a loop that starts and ends at Joe Laveist Sport Park, through Pastoor Hendrickstraat, Torenstraat and Bernhardstraat, among others.

Where I would stand:

• Oranjestad: L.G. Smith Boulevard around Renaissance Marketplace and across from Wilhelmina Park. The boulevard is wide, there is food nearby, and the restrooms at the marketplace are close.
• San Nicolas: Bernhardstraat has the best atmosphere, but the street is narrow and fills up early. Get there before the parade starts.

Along the route you will see tents and trailers behind fences. These are kavels, private plots that groups, bars and families reserve months ahead, often with food, drinks, a DJ and portable toilets. You can’t walk in. A few restaurants and bars sell kavel tickets in advance, so ask your hotel concierge in December if you want a seat in the shade.

Be patient. The official start time is when the first trucks leave. If you stand halfway down the route, the first dancers can take up to two hours to reach you (VisitAruba). Don’t arrive at 10 am and burn out before the best groups pass.

What to bring

• A hat, sunglasses and reef-safe sunscreen. The sun is strong even when the trade winds make it feel cool.
• Water, lots of it. Stock up at a supermarket the day before instead of relying on vendors.
• A folding chair or a small cooler backpack.
• Earplugs. The music trucks are very loud, especially for kids.
• Comfortable shoes. You will stand and walk for hours.
• For Lighting Parades: something that lights up. For Jouvert: old clothes or pajamas.

Stay behind the barriers and leave the street to the dancers. Dancing on the sidewalk is very welcome.

Getting there and back

Don’t drive to a Grand Parade. Roads along the route close hours before it starts, and you will get blocked in. Take a taxi as close as you can and walk the last part.

Official taxi fares, one way, for up to four passengers (taxi.aw, fares in effect since May 2026):

Add $5 on Sundays and official holidays, which covers the Oranjestad Grand Parade and Carnival Monday. The same $5 applies between 11 pm and 7 am, so you pay it for Jouvert and the trip home after a Lighting Parade. The surcharge counts once per trip, not per person. Calculate your exact fare with the Aruba taxi fare calculator.

After the parade the whole route jams up. Walk a few blocks into a quiet street before you call a taxi, or sit down for dinner and leave an hour later. If you rent a car, park it well outside the closed area and walk 10 to 15 minutes. More options are in my guide to getting around Aruba.

Can you join a Carnival group?

Yes. Many Carnival groups welcome visitors. For the Torch Parade, you usually pay a small fee and get the group T-shirt. A full membership costs more and covers the main parades, a full costume and, with most groups, an open bar on the trucks. Groups set their own prices and sell out, so contact them in November or December. VisitAruba names groups such as Royal, Dushi, Empire, Champagne, Colours and Aruba Tourist (source). Most have Facebook or Instagram pages where they post their themes and costume prices.

A short history

Aruba held its first small street Carnival celebrations in 1954, and the first public Carnival with clubs and districts followed in 1955. Grand Parades became a fixed part of the season in 1957. In 1966 the Stichting Arubaanse Carnaval was founded, and the yearly season has opened on November 11 at 11:11 ever since. Steel and brass bands joined soon after the first parades. San Nicolas, with its large English-speaking Caribbean community, gives the season much of its calypso and steel band sound, while Oranjestad has the long boulevard parades. (Aruba Tourism Authority)

Where to stay for Carnival

February is high season, and Carnival weekend is busy. Book as early as you can.

• To walk to the Oranjestad parades: stay downtown. Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort sits right on L.G. Smith Boulevard, close to the route.
• Short taxi ride, beach included: Eagle Beach and the low-rise area are 10 to 15 minutes from downtown. Try Manchebo Beach Resort or Amsterdam Manor. Not sure which beach? Read Palm Beach vs Eagle Beach.
• For Jouvert and the San Nicolas parades: San Nicolas has a handful of apartments and small guesthouses, close to Baby Beach. It saves you a 3 am taxi ride.

The map shows live prices for Carnival weekend, February 5 to 9, 2027. Change the dates for your own trip, and compare the total with taxes and fees, not only the nightly rate.

Quick tips

• First time? Pick the Oranjestad Grand Parade on Sunday, February 7. Come after lunch, stand on L.G. Smith Boulevard, and stay until dark.
• With kids: the Children’s Parades in January, in daylight and shorter.
• Want the local side? Jouvert Morning and the San Nicolas Grand Parade.
• On a cruise: check whether your ship is in port on a parade day. My cruise port guide and shore excursions guide help you plan the rest of the day.
• Weather: February is one of the driest months, with strong trade winds. See the best time to visit Aruba, month by month.

Coming earlier in the season? My guide to Aruba in November, December and January covers Sinterklaas, Christmas, the New Year’s pagaras and the first parades. I will update this page as soon as the official 2027 program and route maps are published.