The Badajoz Carnival has obtained recognition as a Festival of International Tourist Interest with the signing of the declaration by the Secretary of State for Tourism, Fernando Valdés, after verifying that the request made by the Municipal Council meets the requirements established in the Order ICT/851/2019, of July 25.
“These festivities, without a doubt one of the most important in Spain, represent a valuable asset for our tourist image abroad and represent a powerful resource for Extremadura to attract national and international visitors outside of high season. We hope that the declaration will help revitalize the Badajoz Carnival after a year of absence due to the pandemic”, Fernando Valdés assessed after signing the resolution.
A tradition with origins in the 18th century
The oldest testimonies about the celebration of this festival date back to the 18th century, although it is in the 19th century that the Badajoz Carnival is consolidated as a popular festival, coexisting with street carnival and masked balls in public and private halls.
Such is the popular roots of the festival that even when it was prohibited during the Francisco Franco regime, the people of Badajoz celebrated small parties at home with some improvised costume. With the arrival of democracy, the Carnival experienced a new resurgence thanks to a group of artists and students led by José Manuel Villafaina.
From then on, the so-called 'New Carnival' acquired notoriety in Spain and Portugal in the 1980s thanks to an important national promotion campaign that culminated in the participation as town criers of such popular comedians as Gomaespuma, Tip and Coll and Maricarmen and their dolls.
In 1996, the Carnival was recognized as a Festival of Regional Tourist Interest and in 2011 it was declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest. Since 2007, Badajoz has had its own Carnival Museum.
Requirements to be a Party of International Interest
To obtain recognition as a Fiesta of International Interest, it is necessary to previously have the distinction of Fiesta of National Interest. Thus, the origin, antiquity and traditional roots of the festival must be accredited, as well as its originality, cultural value, the high degree of citizen participation and its great scope as a tourist attraction.
It is also necessary to demonstrate that it is a festival that has been celebrated continuously over time (without interruptions that exceed five years between one edition and another) and prove that the town has sufficient establishments (both accommodation and other services) to receive the expected influx of visitors and tourists. The city of Badajoz alone has 1,885 accommodation places and 34,449 restaurants, in addition to being located in a highly touristic area of Extremadura, with a wide and varied range of services.
Along with all this, it is required to have achieved a minimum of ten relevant impacts (not mere mentions, but a specific treatment of the party) in the media of one or several foreign countries.
