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Cape Verde Carnival 2027: a guide to Mindelo's Carnival

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Cape Verde's Carnival is the biggest party of the year, and its capital is Mindelo on São Vicente, where costumed groups, floats and drums take over the streets on Carnival Tuesday. In 2027 the big day falls on 9 February. This guide explains how Carnival works, what happens in the weeks before, the other carnivals worth knowing about and how to plan flights, rooms and days around it.

When is Carnival in Cape Verde in 2027?

Carnival follows the Christian calendar, so its date moves every year with Easter. The climax is Carnival Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday: in 2027 that is 9 February, with Ash Wednesday on 10 February. For comparison, it fell on 17 February in 2026 and on 4 March in 2025, so check the date before you compare flight prices for future years.

The parade is only the final act. In Mindelo the Carnival season builds for weeks before, with rehearsals, neighbourhood parades and parties every weekend, and the last few days before Ash Wednesday are the busiest. The detailed 2027 programme from the municipality of São Vicente and the carnival groups had not been published at the time of writing; it usually appears in the weeks before the event, and we will update this guide when it does.

Mindelo Carnival: the big parade

Mindelo's Carnival is the largest in the country and the one most Cape Verdeans would name first. Its roots are in the Portuguese carnival tradition, and over the 20th century it took on a strong Brazilian influence, which shows in the samba-style rhythms, the feathered costumes and the floats. Today it is a competition: the town's official carnival groups spend months building floats, sewing costumes and rehearsing, then parade through the centre on Carnival Tuesday in front of a jury and huge crowds.

Each group has its own theme, music and colours, with dancers, drummers, queens and kings and large floats. The parade lasts for hours, and it is a family occasion as much as a party: people stake out spots along the route early and stay until the last group has passed. Winners are announced afterwards, and the rivalry between groups is part of the fun.

Before the parade: street parties and mandingas

If you can, arrive several days early. In the run-up to Carnival, Mindelo's neighbourhoods hold their own parades and parties, schools and children have their own processions, and the bars and squares of the centre are full of music every night. Live morna, coladeira and funaná are part of normal life in Mindelo anyway, and during Carnival the whole town joins in.

One tradition is unique to the island: the mandingas. Groups of men and boys with bodies blackened with oil and soot, wearing skirts of leaves or raffia, dance through the streets to drums, usually on the Sundays leading up to Carnival. It looks wild but is good-humoured, and anyone standing too close can expect to be smudged. Ask locally for the times, as they are announced at short notice.

Other carnivals: São Nicolau and Praia

São Nicolau's carnival, in the small town of Ribeira Brava, is smaller but well regarded, with its own groups and a strong local following; it suits travellers who would rather see Carnival in a village than in a crowd. Getting there takes a domestic flight to the island's small aerodrome or a long ferry crossing; see Maio, São Nicolau and Brava.

In Praia, the capital, Carnival brings parades and street parties too, and other towns across the islands hold their own celebrations. On Sal and Boa Vista, Carnival is low-key, and resort guests may only notice it through a themed evening, so if Carnival is the point of your trip, base yourself in Mindelo.

Getting to Mindelo for Carnival

São Vicente's Cesária Évora airport is about 15 minutes by taxi from Mindelo. It has direct flights from Lisbon with TAP and domestic CVsky flights to Sal and Praia, so from the UK and most of Europe the options are a connection in Lisbon or a flight to Sal followed by a domestic hop. Seats into São Vicente in Carnival week are among the hardest to find all year, so book as early as you can; our airports guide explains the choices.

If you are on a package holiday on Sal or Boa Vista, a two- or three-night trip to Mindelo is the realistic option. Domestic flights can be delayed or cancelled, especially when dust haze hits in winter, so do not plan to fly back on the morning of your international departure and keep a spare day in hand. The network and its quirks are explained in island hopping.

Where to stay and what it costs

Mindelo has small hotels, guesthouses and apartments rather than big resorts, and in Carnival week they fill up early, partly with Cape Verdeans from other islands. Book months ahead, expect higher prices than usual, and stay in or near the centre so you can walk to the parade route and the evening parties. Our where to stay guide covers the town.

The parade itself is free to watch from the street. Budget for flights, rooms and taxis, and for eating out, which in Mindelo is cheaper than in the tourist areas of Sal. After the parade, many visitors cross to Santo Antão for a few days of walking, a good way to recover from the noise.

What else to do around Carnival

Mindelo is worth a few days even without the parade. Walk the seafront to the Torre de Belém, a 1920 replica of Lisbon's tower that now houses the Museu do Mar, visit the fish market in the morning and swim at Laginha, the town beach a short walk from the centre. Outside town, the shallow bay of Baía das Gatas, about 8 km east, is one of the safest places on the island to swim, and the road up Monte Verde, at about 750 m the island's highest point, gives views over the bay on clear mornings.

The ferry from Mindelo to Porto Novo on Santo Antão takes about 40 minutes to an hour, with at least two return sailings a day, so a day trip is possible, although a few nights are better. Back on Sal, February is also high season for wind sports: the Kite-Surf World Cup has opened its season at Ponta Preta in February or March in recent years. Excursions on every island are listed in our tours and excursions.

Practical tips for Carnival in Mindelo

Wear light clothes and comfortable shoes, carry water and sunscreen, and bring a light jacket for the evening: February days are sunny and around 24 °C, but the trade winds make nights fresh. Keep phones and cash in a zipped pocket in the crowds, take only what you need and leave passports in your room. Ask before you photograph people in costume; most are delighted, but it is polite to ask.

Taxis are cheap but hard to find on parade day, and the centre is packed, so plan to walk. Restaurants are busy, so eat early or book. For the weather that month, see Cape Verde in February, and if you are planning further ahead, read our guide to Christmas and New Year in Cape Verde.

Frequently asked questions

When is Carnival in Cape Verde in 2027?

The main parade is on Carnival Tuesday, 9 February 2027, the day before Ash Wednesday. The date follows Easter, so it changes every year: it was 17 February in 2026.

Where is the best Carnival in Cape Verde?

Mindelo on São Vicente has the biggest and best-known Carnival, with official groups competing in a parade on Carnival Tuesday. São Nicolau's carnival in Ribeira Brava is smaller and well regarded.

What are the mandingas in Mindelo?

A Carnival tradition of São Vicente: groups with bodies blackened with oil and soot and skirts of leaves or raffia dance through Mindelo to drums, usually on the Sundays before Carnival.

Do you need tickets for Mindelo Carnival?

No ticket is needed to watch the parade from the streets of the centre. Arrive early to find a good spot, as crowds build for hours.

How do you get to Mindelo for Carnival?

Fly to São Vicente's Cesária Évora airport, either direct from Lisbon or with a CVsky domestic flight from Sal or Praia. Book flights and rooms months ahead for Carnival week.

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