If you’re interested in celebrating carnival in Guadeloupe much of the action takes place in the towns of Pointe-a-Pitre and Basse-Terre. Afro-Caribbean heritage is celebrated an on full display on these French Caribbean islands. The most important days of carnival are the “Fat Days” – Fat Monday, Fat Tuesday, and Ash Wednesday. Yes while most carnivals celebrated around Lent end on Fat Tuesday Guadeloupe fetes on one more day. A late night parade takes place on Fat Monday. Though be sure after its over to not sleep in too late – Fat Tuesday offers the main parade party. The big parade is on and popping with colorful dancers, floats, and rhythmic music in the capital, Basse-Terre. While on the parade keep your energy up with a traditional carnival snack the Beignet de carnival, a doughnut! It is a time for mourning on Ash Wednesday – tired but still willing to party – revelers come on to the streets dressed in black and white with the Carnival King Vaval. This is the King puppet’s final lap of carnival before he must be cremated. He burns over the sound of wails and cries of the crowd. It marks the start of a new cycle – though I guess it just may be hard to let carnival go.
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