Cabo Verde's biggest party: months of float-building and costume-making end in a Shrove Tuesday parade through the streets of Mindelo.
Mindelo's Carnival is the biggest in Cabo Verde. Official groups spend months building floats and sewing costumes in workshops around the city.
The groups include Monte Sossego, Vindos do Oriente, Samba Tropical and Cruzeiros do Norte. On Shrove Tuesday they parade along the Marginal and through the centre, competing for the title.
On the Sundays before, the Mandingas of Ribeira Bote take to the streets, painted black with oil and soot, carrying spears and drumming as they go.
In 2027 the main parade is on Tuesday 9 February, with the Samba Tropical night on Monday 8. The official programme appears in January, and rooms and flights sell out well ahead.
How the festivities build in 2027.
Drums practise in the streets at night as the groups get ready.
Mandinga groups run through the city from Ribeira Bote.
Bands and impromptu groups fill Praça Nova and the bars of Rua de Lisboa.
A night parade of samba, sequins and drums.
The official groups and their floats compete along the Marginal.
Fly into Cesária Évora airport on São Vicente, or via Praia or Sal; inter-island flights fill early.
Book rooms in central Mindelo months ahead; prices rise for Carnival week.
Photographs from Wikimedia Commons and Pexels under their licences, and our own.
