With a global budget of 220 thousand euros, 40 thousand more than last year, the Sines Carnival, in the district of Setúbal, expects to receive, this year, “around 50 thousand visitors” to watch the main parades, one of which will be illuminated at night.

“We are expecting, as in other years, around 50 thousand visitors” to watch the three parades on the main avenue of the Alentejo city, Rui Encarnação, recently re-elected president of the Sines Carnival Association, told Lusa today.

According to the person in charge, in addition to the “usual political satire”, the carnival parade will feature “around 30 groups, 17 floats, including floats and revellers, “three samba schools” and 2,500 participants.

“This is one of the few, if not the only Carnival that, on the same avenue, manages to bring together the parade itself, in an interaction with the general public and, this year, we made a huge investment in the night parade with renewed and bigger lighting”, he revealed.

According to the organization, this year, emphasis will be given to the Entrudo Burial, with the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the death of the navigator Vasco da Gama, born in Sines.

Rui Encarnação told Lusa news agency that the theme remains free “to allow groups and partygoers to develop their imagination, without limiting the artistic thinking” of the groups.

“But there will be the usual political satire, allegorical groups with fantasy-related themes and samba schools with bold themes,” he revealed.

The program for this festival, which will celebrate its centenary in 2026, begins on the 28th of this month, with the Carnival of the Little Ones parade, on Avenida General Humberto Delgado, and the Noite da Matrafona, and runs until March 5th, with the traditional Burial of Entrudo.

In addition to the daytime carnival parades, on Sunday and Tuesday, at 3:30 pm, and the nighttime parade, on Monday, at 9 pm, the Sines Carnival program includes “daily parties” in various locations in the city on the Alentejo coast.

On Saturday morning, the kings of the Sines Carnival are presented to the population with a parade through the main streets of the historic center, followed by a Senior Masked Ball in the afternoon, at the Sines Parish Council Pavilion.

The Electronic Dance “Until Morning”, at the Municipal Sports Gym, with several DJs, extends on Saturday night.

Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights end with the “Carnival Ball” at the Municipal Pavilion.

A daily ticket to attend the Sines Carnival will cost seven euros (one euro more than last year), entry for the three days will cost 15 euros and the free pass will be 25 euros.