What parade opens Barranquilla Carnival on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday?

The Battle of the Flowers opens Barranquilla Carnival on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday. Known in Spanish as La Batalla de Flores, it is the carnival’s first major parade and one of its defining events.

The parade features floats, the Carnival Queen, folkloric groups, costumed performers and cumbia-based celebrations. It takes place during the first of the carnival’s four main days, before the Great Parade on Sunday and Monday and the burial of Joselito Carnaval on Tuesday.

The Battle of the Flowers has a notable history. The first known event was held in 1903 on the initiative of General Heriberto Arturo Vengoechea, who wanted to celebrate the end of the Thousand Days’ War and revive carnival festivities after a suspension. Early versions involved flower-decorated carriages and groups playfully throwing flowers and confetti.

A frequent mix-up is choosing the Great Parade, which follows on Sunday, or the burial of Joselito, which closes the festivities. The Battle of the Flowers is the Saturday opener.