---
guideCategory: festivals-culture
title: Carnival in Mindelo 2027: Dates, Groups, Parade Route and Tickets
teaser: The grand parade on 9 February 2027, the samba groups and mandingas, the Rua de Lisboa route, where grandstand tickets are sold, and how to watch for free.
seo:
  title: Carnival in Mindelo 2027: Groups, Parade Route & Tickets
  description: Mindelo carnival 2027: the grand parade on 9 February, the samba groups, the Rua de Lisboa route, grandstand tickets and free roadside spots.
tags: carnival, karnaval, festivals, nightlife, mandinga, samba
hero: /uploads/guide-carnival-mindelo.jpg
hero_card: /uploads/guide-carnival-mindelo-card.jpg
heroAlt: Carnival crowds and floats filling a Mindelo street during the grand parade.
heroCredit: Photo: Paola.cecuk (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons
updated: 2026-11-01
draft: false
---

<!-- Hero: Carnival in Mindelo, Paola.cecuk, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons -->

Carnival (Karnaval) is Mindelo's biggest party and the largest carnival
in Cape Verde, often called a mini Rio. Samba-style groups spend all
year preparing floats and feathered costumes, the waterfront avenue
becomes a runway, and the city runs on parade time for a week. Watching
from the roadside is free; it is also one of the few carnivals left where
you can stand close enough to feel the drums in your chest.

## When it happens

The grand parade falls on **Shrove Tuesday, which moves with Easter**:
**9 February in 2027** (it was 17 February in 2026). The celebrations fill
the week around it, with rehearsals, neighbourhood parties and fundraising
bailes starting weeks earlier. The municipality and the groups' league
confirm each edition's programme as it approaches, so treat published
schedules as provisional until then and check the
[events calendar](/events) and the [live music guide](/guides/live-music-in-mindelo)
for what is on that week.

<figure>
  <img src="/uploads/guide-carnival-mindelo-float.jpg" alt="A carnival float with winged costumed performers passing crowds at night in Mindelo" width="1200" height="900" loading="lazy" />
  <figcaption>Photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%A0%D7%91%D7%9C_%D7%91%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%93%D7%9C%D7%95_%D7%97%D7%95%D7%93%D7%A9_%D7%A4%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%90%D7%A8_2023_11.jpg">Hanay</a> (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/" rel="license">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>) via Wikimedia Commons</figcaption>
</figure>

## The week, day by day

The exact programme changes every edition, and the official 2027
schedule had not been published when this guide was last updated. What
follows is the traditional shape, based on the 2026 edition as reported
by [Balai.cv](https://www.balai.cv/balai-kultural/sao-vicente-carnaval-2026-entre-receios-do-publico-e-confianca-dos-grupos)
and [Inforpress](https://www.inforpress.cv/en/sao-vicente-carnaval-mindelo-pulsa-entre-a-inocencia-das-criancas-e-o-vigor-dos-mandingas):

| Day | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| Weekends before | Group rehearsals and bailes around the neighbourhoods; costumes in secret production |
| Sunday | Children's carnival in the afternoon; the mandingas take over the streets at dusk, ending with a young percussion bateria |
| Monday | Traditionally the Samba Tropical parade and night; 2026 instead hosted the teachers' parade (recycled costumes) and a first-ever joint performance by all the island's mandingas |
| Tuesday | The grand parade: the official samba groups compete in front of the jury |
| Ash Wednesday | The city sleeps. King Momo is burned to close the season |

For 2027, the fixed point is the grand parade on **Tuesday 9
February**. The groups began announcing their themes in October 2026,
and carnival listings place the Samba Tropical procession on Monday 8
February. The rest of the week (exact days and start times for the
children's carnival, mandingas and awards) is confirmed only when the
municipality and LIGOC-SV publish the official programme.

The mandingas deserve a mention of their own: neighbourhood troupes in
black body paint and satirical costumes who parade with drums and
sharply funny verses aimed at anyone and everything. The 2026 mandingas
of Fernando Pó, Ribeira Bote, Espia and Fonte Filipe each drew their own
crowd, with Ribeira Bote the biggest magnet.

## The groups

**Official groups (grupos oficiais)** are the samba-style schools that
compete: floats (carros alegóricos), themed costumes (enredos), wings of
dancers and singers (alas), a rainha de bateria and around a thousand
revellers each. Five names make up the competitive league (LIGOC-SV):
**Cruzeiros do Norte**, **Flores do Mindelo**, **Monte Sossego**,
**Vindos do Oriente** and **Estrela do Mar**. The **Escola de Samba
Tropical** stands outside the contest: its parade is the traditional
fixture of Monday night.

2026 was atypical. The league (LIGOC-SV) announced in November 2025
that there would be no official parade or contest, saying the conditions the groups required had not been met; the municipality then stepped in and
organized a competition between the two groups that chose to parade,
Cruzeiros do Norte ("História dourada com pedras negras") and Flores do
Mindelo ("Mindelo é uma flor que não murcha por ser resistente"), each
with three or four floats and up to a thousand revellers. For scale,
the last full edition, in **2025**, fielded five competitive groups,
about 5,000 revellers and 15 floats, with more than 52 million CVE
mobilized (historical figures for that edition, not a 2027 forecast).

2027 is pointing back to a full edition: the government doubled its
subsidy to the official groups (to 3,000 contos, paid in instalments
from September 2026), and Cruzeiros do Norte's president said all the
groups intend to take part. Here is what each had announced by late
October 2026 (announcements, not final registrations):

- **Cruzeiros do Norte**: the champion of 2025 and 2026 announced a
  tribute theme, *"Magia e Emoções por detrás das janelas de Manuel e
  Luísa"*, honouring the artists Manuel Figueira and Luísa Queirós,
  co-founders of Mindelo's CNAD. Presented in early October 2026, with
  a plan for four floats (an announcement, not a finished parade).
- **Monte Sossego**: the most decorated group of recent decades
  announced a reflection on life as its theme (local media reported the
  exact title differently: *"A Vida é o melhor segredo da Vida"* per
  RTC, *"A Vida é o melhor presente da vida"* per Mindelinsite), with
  plans for three floats, one tripé, about 1,500 revellers and a
  bateria of 160–180 drummers. Rehearsals start in early January.
- **Flores do Mindelo**: the second of 2026's two groups; expected
  back for 2027, with no theme announced yet.
- **Vindos do Oriente** and **Estrela do Mar**: both expected to
  return to the avenue; 2027 themes not announced yet.
- **Escola de Samba Tropical**: outside the contest, its Monday
  procession is a fixture of the week; listings place it on Monday
  8 February 2027, the eve of the grand parade.

Around the official groups parade **20 or more spontaneous groups**:
schools, kindergartens, community blocks and the mandingas. The
children's carnival on Sunday afternoon is a genuine institution
(Monte Sossego Mirim paraded about 200 children in 2026, its 11th
year), and the teachers' parade, with costumes built from recycled
materials, is a Mindelo speciality.

<figure class="video-embed">
  <iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/PGO2qNtSUz8" title="RTC: Carnaval São Vicente 2025, parade of the official groups (2025 footage)" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen></iframe>
  <figcaption><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGO2qNtSUz8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Watch on YouTube</a></figcaption>
</figure>

## The parade route and where to watch

<figure>
  <img src="/uploads/guide-carnival-mindelo-passistas.jpg" alt="Feathered carnival dancers passing spectators behind barriers on a Mindelo street at night" width="1200" height="900" loading="lazy" />
  <figcaption>Photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%D7%AA%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%A0%D7%91%D7%9C_%D7%91%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%A8_%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%93%D7%9C%D7%95_%D7%91%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%A8_%D7%A1%D7%A0%D7%98%D7%95_%D7%95%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%A0%D7%98%D7%94_%D7%A4%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%90%D7%A8._2023_03.jpg">Hanay</a> (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/" rel="license">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>) via Wikimedia Commons</figcaption>
</figure>

The parade sets off from the **waterfront at the foot of Rua de
Lisboa** (by Praça Dom Luís, near the port), climbs Rua de Lisboa past
the Palácio do Povo, and continues along **Avenida Baltazar Lopes da
Silva**, the waterfront avenue everyone calls the Marginal. In 2024 the
parade stepped off around 19:00 and ran into the night. Groups parade
the route twice, and the jury scores from posts on Rua de Lisboa,
Avenida Baltazar Lopes and Rua 5 de Julho.

**Two ways to watch:**

- **Grandstand seats (tribunas)** line the route, with the main stands
  on Rua de Lisboa, about 4,000 seats in recent editions. Tickets are
  sold in advance at the official ticket office by the Estádio Adérito
  Sena, typically in the days before the parade. Recent prices ran from
  200 to 1,000 CVE (€1.81 to €9.07) in 2026, down from 2,000 CVE
  (€18.14) for the main Rua de Lisboa stands in 2024 (historical
  reference prices, not confirmed 2027 rates). **They can sell
  out**: in 2024, Tuesday tickets were gone before parade day. Buy only through
  officially announced channels: there is no official online sale (the
  municipality warned in 2026 against a fraudulent online scheme
  charging up to €140 a ticket), and in 2026 the office accepted card
  payment (Vinti4) alongside cash. Bring cash as well, and avoid
  resellers.
- **Roadside standing is free**, first come, first served, behind the
  barriers along the whole route. Locals stake out spots on Rua de
  Lisboa and the Marginal hours early with bags and chairs; it looks
  extreme until you see the crowds at dusk.

## Start times: plan to wait

The programme publishes an hour, but treat it as indicative rather than
exact: in recent editions the start has slipped past the published
hour and the night has run long. Locals arrive for the atmosphere, not
for punctuality, so eat first, bring water and patience, and let the
delays be part of the night rather than a problem with it.

## Practical tips

- Book accommodation months ahead; carnival fills Mindelo's rooms.
- Carry small notes in escudos for tickets, drinks and street food;
  card payments are rare on the avenue. See our
  [taxi fares guide](/guides/taxi-fares-mindelo) for getting around,
  including the fixed airport fare.
- The February sun is still strong for the afternoon children's
  parades; bring a hat, and a layer for the late night by the water.
- Taxis are usually available late into the night after the parade;
  agree the fare before getting in, as night rates apply.
- Carnival is loud, crowded and wonderfully chaotic: keep your phone
  secured and your group's meeting point agreed before the floats roll.

Carnival is the loudest week, but not the only one: the island's other
big musical gathering is the [Baía das Gatas festival](/guides/baia-das-gatas-festival)
in August.

## Sources

- [Balai.cv: Carnaval 2026 between public worries and the groups' confidence](https://www.balai.cv/balai-kultural/sao-vicente-carnaval-2026-entre-receios-do-publico-e-confianca-dos-grupos): the two 2026 groups, their enredos, floats and alas, the two-lap rule, jury posts, 4,000 grandstand seats and 2026 ticket prices
- [Inforpress: Mindelo pulses between children's innocence and the vigour of the mandingas](https://www.inforpress.cv/en/sao-vicente-carnaval-mindelo-pulsa-entre-a-inocencia-das-criancas-e-o-vigor-dos-mandingas): the Sunday children's parade, the mandingas of Fernando Pó, Ribeira Bote, Espia and Fonte Filipe, and the 2026 Monday programme
- [Inforpress: 2024 Tuesday parade tickets sold out](https://inforpress.cv/carnavalsovicentebilhetesparaassistirdesfilesdetera-feirajesgotadosstaffpromo): the 19:00 start and the Praça Dom Luís to Rua de Lisboa route
- [Voz do Archipelago: carnival tickets between 200 and 1,000 escudos](https://vozdoarchipelago.cv/noticias/sao-vicente-bilhetes-para-bancadas-do-carnaval-custam-entre-200-e-mil-escudos): 2026 ticket sales at the Estádio Adérito Sena office
- [Inforpress: municipality warns against fraudulent grandstand ticket sales](https://inforpress.cv/sao-vicente-camara-municipal-alerta-para-esquema-fraudulento-na-venda-de-bilhetes-de-bancadas-do-carnaval): no official online sales; 2026 fraud scheme
- [CMSV official ticket announcement](https://www.facebook.com/cmsaovicente/posts/-informa%C3%A7%C3%A3o-oficial-bilheteira-carnaval-de-s%C3%A3o-vicente-2026chegou-a-informa%C3%A7%C3%A3o-q/1328445899322249): 2026 grandstand sale information, Vinti4 card payment accepted
- [Balai.cv: LIGOC confirms no official parade or contest for 2026](https://www.balai.cv/balai-kultural/sao-vicente-ligoc-confirma-que-em-2026-nao-ha-desfile-nem-concurso-oficial-de-carnaval): the atypical 2026 edition
- [Inforpress: Cruzeiros do Norte take the Manuel e Luísa tribute theme to the streets to revalidate the title](https://inforpress.cv/sao-vicente-cruzeiros-do-norte-leva-tema-de-homenagem-a-luisa-queiros-e-manuel-figueira-as-ruas-para-revalidar-titulo): the 2027 enredo and four-float plan
- [RTC: "A Vida é o melhor segredo da Vida" will be Monte Sossego's enredo for Carnival 2027](https://www.rtc.cv/carnaval/video-details/quot-a-vida-e-o-melhor-segredo-da-vida-quot-este-sera-o-enredo-do-monte-sossego-para-o-carnaval-2027-61089): the Monte Sossego 2027 theme announcement
- [Mindelinsite: Monte Sossego proposes a reflection on the meaning of life for Carnival Mindelo 2027](https://mindelinsite.com/carnaval/grupo-monte-sossego-propoe-reflexao-sobre-sentido-da-vida-no-carnaval-mindelo-2027): three floats, ~1,500 revellers, 160–180 drummers
- [RTC: government doubles subsidies to the official groups to three thousand contos](https://www.rtc.cv/noticia/noticia-details/governo-duplica-subsidios-aos-grupos-oficias-do-carnaval-do-mindelo-para-tres-mil-contos-14810): 2027 edition funding
- [Inforpress: five groups, more than 52 million escudos mobilized, five thousand revellers and 15 floats](https://inforpress.cv/en/carnaval-sao-vicente-cinco-grupos-mais-de-52-mil-contos-mobilizados-cinco-mil-folioes-e-15-carros-alegoricos): the 2025 edition figures
- [CarnavalMindelo.com](https://carnavalmindelo.com/): carnival history, the entrudo roots and the King Momo burning
- [Cape Verde festivals guide](https://www.capeverde.co.uk/guide/festivals-and-music) and [Archipelago Choice](https://www.archipelagochoice.com/our-destinations/cape-verde/travel-guides/cape-verde-carnival-on-sao-vicente/): the Shrove Tuesday date rule, the 2027 date and the Samba Tropical Monday slot