When and on what dates and where is it a public holiday and not a school day?

Carnival is one of the celebrations that generates the most movement in different cities in Spain and around the world. Every year, communities and municipalities organize activities that include parades, music, parades and cultural performances. The celebrations allow residents of each city and visitors to interact with the traditions of each location, while planning their participation in days of rest or public events scheduled around the holiday.

Unlike other dates on the calendar, Carnival does not have a fixed day. Its location directly depends on the Easter calendar, which means that the days vary each year. This characteristic implies that the organization of the celebration requires coordination between local authorities, educational centers and families so that cultural events and extracurricular days are integrated in an orderly manner into the daily life of each community.

When is it and on what dates?

Carnival 2026 will take place from Thursday February 12 to Wednesday February 18. These dates are calculated from Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Lent and depends on the Holy Week calendar. As it is not a fixed event in the annual calendar, the days of Carnival change each year according to this reference, which always places the celebration in a period between February and March.

During this week, each day has its own name:

Where is it a public holiday and not a school day at Carnival 2026?

In Spain, Carnival is not a national holiday, so each autonomous community or municipality decides whether celebration days are considered non-school days. Official school calendars and local report cards determine which days are included as holidays.

In Andalusia, Cadiz declares a local holiday Carnival on Monday, February 16, which allows citizens to participate in scheduled events without interfering with regular educational activity.

In the Canary Islands, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria They established Carnival on Tuesday, February 17 as a public holiday, a decision that other municipalities in the region also adopted. This day concentrates most of the cultural events and traditional competitions.

In ExtremaduraCarnival Tuesday is recognized as a public holiday in several localities, including Badajoz, Mérida, Malpartida de Cáceres and Villanueva de la Vera, where the celebrations maintain historical roots and are accompanied by local traditions specific to each municipality.

In Galiciamore than 150 town halls designate Carnival Tuesday as non-school, highlighting the Entroido de Xinzo de Limia, declared of national tourist interest. In this region, celebrations combine traditional events and cultural activities open to the public.

The region of Murciain Águilas, also recognizes Carnival Tuesday as a public holiday in a program that runs from January 31 to February 28, allowing residents and visitors to participate in all scheduled events.

In MadridThe main activities take place between February 14 and 18. Although not considered public holidays, cultural events are held which attract both residents and tourists, with the Sardine Burial as one of the central events.