Malaga Carnival

Málaga Carnival takes place from Saturday, February 21st to Sunday, March 1st, 2026. The Málaga Carnival is a vibrant queer event with fun vibes, and sensational drag queens. With over 600,000 visitors, this is one of the most iconic events of the year!

Carnival Highlights 

The Official Opening is the God and Goddess of Carnival, where you can see everyone's gorgeous and perfectly over-the-top costumes. The  Great Carnival Parade is one that you don't want to miss; you can expect lively music and performances flooding the streets. Arguably, the best event of the carnival is the Drag Queen Gala. This fabulous competition is unreal and feisty as queens from all over come for the Queen of Malage Carnival title. The final event is called Great Boqueroná. This sounds odd, but it is a very fun tradition where a big anchovy is paraded all around the city until the beach to symbolise the end of the carnival. 

Why you should visit Malaga

Visiting Malaga is not just a great idea because of the carnival; there is also so much to this beautiful Spanish city. The food is delicious, especially around carnival time. Indulge in authentic dishes like Espeto de Sardinas, which is prepared especially for these types of festivities. In addition to this, the scenery is gorgeous, with the city reusing its Christmas festival lights. This is made even nicer with Malaga's naturally warm climate, even in February, the temperature can rise to as high as 20 degrees. There is also a ton of gay-friendly bars, clubs, and restaurants that you can spend your evenings at. What more could you want? 

Where should I stay?

Here is a list of all of the best gay-friendly hotels to stay at. It is recommended to book in advance to ensure that these hotels are still available.