“Carnival is not boring…” was the motto chosen to mark the 2025 edition of the Loulé Carnival, which this year brought together around 80 thousand revelers on Avenida José da Costa Mealha, over three days.
After the SDGs – Sustainable Development Goals and the Geopark project Algarvensis, the Loulé City Council chose the theme of water to once again convey an environmental message to the parade. Interweaving political, social, and sports satire with the event's overall theme, the 15 floats presented current events filled with humor and creativity. Water, that precious treasure of humanity, appeared in a variety of forms: sometimes gushing from the Bicas Velhas (Old Water Fountains) created specifically for this parade; sometimes in a human shower recreated by the animators; sometimes in the region's long-awaited desalination plant; at the bottom of the Algarve sea, still free of plastic and where the beauty of marine life can be seen; or even in an oasis in the middle of the desert, where soccer star Ronaldo is paid precisely "by weight of water."
Beyond its environmental impact, this parade was also notable for its inclusiveness. Crewed by the EXISTIR Association, the "Brincadeira sobre Rodas" float brought members of this organization to the parade, some with reduced mobility, others with motor disabilities. But all of them were in good spirits and contributed to the contagious joy of the participants. Because after all, there are no barriers to revelry!
And as the party naturally ends with lots of streamers and confetti on the street, at the end of each of the three days, Avenida José da Costa Mealha was washed with water collected from natural effluents, without waste, thus promoting the water efficiency that this Carnival's theme has made a hallmark of.
The Loulé Municipality has a positive assessment of this edition of one of the country's largest parades. "It didn't rain, and we had a significant turnout from the public, whose good spirits also contributed to making this Carnival another success. And, of course, a word about safety: everything went off without a hitch, which is especially noteworthy given that we're talking about an initiative involving a significant number of people," said Carlos Carmo, Carnival coordinator and Municipal Events Councilor.
The mayor of Loulé emphasized the importance of reviving a tradition for the community. "Carnival isn't just the Algarve's biggest tourist attraction at this time of year, attracting many tourists and helping to boost the economy during the low season. It's a tradition that's part of the identity of the people of Loulé, and it's a source of pride for this community to be able to showcase the full brilliance of our parade. I think that, once again, everyone's involvement was crucial in having a 'grand and Loulé-style' Carnival," emphasized Vítor Aleixo. The mayor also expressed his gratitude to "everyone involved in this organization, especially the dedication of the Loulé City Council workers who put this event together over the months."
It should be noted that the funds raised from the sale of Carnival tickets will be distributed equally between the local groups that took part in the parade and by IPSS (Social Solidarity Institutions) that promote social projects in the municipality.
