Grand Parade 23rd May 2009
For the 28th time, Aalborg – a middle-sized city in Northern Denmark – is the host of a surprisingly large carnival. About 100.000 people participate in the carnival every year, either as participants in the parade or as spectators along the route to catch a glance of this magnificent wave of people, colour and happiness. Don’t miss this spectacular event and be a part of a world full of colours, impressive costumes, music, rhythms and dance from all corners of the world!
You are the entertainer – the street is your stage! What distinguishes Aalborg Carnival from most other carnivals is that everyone can participate in the Grand Parade! So it is your choice whether you enjoy the celebration as spectator or as participant.
Every year the participants create their costumes according to a different theme, and the theme of 2010 will be “Mars and Venus”. There will be events and performances several places in the town during the period leading up to the Carnival itself. Thus this year carnival is celebrated from May 216 in Aalborg!
On Friday the 21st May, young people will have their own carnival in Tivoli Karolinelund.
On Monday the 24th May, the children celebrate their own carnival event with their own parade (12-12.30pm). About 5,000 dressed up children and their parents stroll from C. W. Obels Plads through the city centre to the city park, Kildeparken, where the children can enjoy a fun packed entertainment programme (12.30-3pm). The parade is free, entrance to the Kildeparken is DKK 30.
On Friday the 28th May, the carnival starts. Up to 15 carnival groups from all over the world present the great diversity and uniqueness of carnival traditions. Simultaneously, the groups compete all day for the title “Best Carnival Group of the Year”. The Battle of Carnival Bands event consists of a parade and several stage shows. The parade starts at Østerågade at 6pm and goes through the centre of Aalborg to the city park, Kildeparken, where each group performs an individual show on stage (7pm-11pm). Participation in the parade is free, entrance to the Kildeparken costs DKK 30.
On Saturday the 29th May, the largest carnival parade in Northern Europe takes place, followed by a gigantic party in the Kildeparken from 1 p.m. till midnight. Here the winner of the “Battle of Carnival Bands” is named, and the festivities reach their climax! A broad spectrum of entertainment, such as live music, DJ’s, dance acts, competitions and much more, provide for heating up the atmosphere until a firework show puts an end to the carnival. Entrance to the Kildeparken is DKK 100.
Watch sequence from the 2009 Carnival in Aalborg.
Follow Aalborg Carnival on Facebook.
Aalborg Carnival takes part in two projects funded with support from the EU Culture Programe 2007-2013. European Spectacles – Street Art Development Project takes place in cooperation with Altonale Spaßparade (Hamburg) and Luton Carnival (London). It runs 1010-2012. Freedom is a cooporation between Aalborg Carnival and Carnivals from London and Paris. It runs 2007-2009.
Carnavals around the world.
Go to the Organizers' website.
