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Between February and March, the traditional carnival takes place annually in San Pablo, south of Bolívar, a festivity that shares the characteristics of the carnivals of several towns on the Colombian Atlantic coast.
The festivities begin with the night of "guacherna", a parade with typical costumes and folk music that takes place the day before the official start of the carnival, which formally opens with the reading of the bando by the queen chosen the previous year.
The San Pedro Carnivals (Carnavales de San Pablo) include traditional events such as the popular flower battle, a parade of floats colorfully decorated with floral arrangements, costume contests, live music and the inevitable funeral of Joselito Carnaval, with which the festivities end on Tuesday, a day before Ash Wednesday.
One of the distinctive traditions of the San Pedro carnival is its pageant, in which “Miss Gordita” is chosen from among large-sized candidates from the towns and villages of the municipality.
The San Pablo carnivals not only celebrate the cultural richness of the region, but also strengthen community ties and attract tourists, turning the municipality into a vibrant center of joy and tradition during this time of year.
