Carnival

Both Joan and I are longing for a visit to Santa Luzia least of all because Camaras all over the Algarve, and indeed all over Portugal, are busy preparing for their Carnival celebrations which will include parties, parades,dances and fancy dress competitions to take place between February 20 and 24.

Traditionally, Carnival is a period of festivities including parades and dances and is fixed each year by the phases of the moon and marks the start of the Christian period of lent.
The word Carnival is derived from the Latin “carne vale”, meaning ‘farewell to the flesh’.

Each town has its own theme for this annual celebration and themes across the region this year include the year of astronomy in Albufeira, the Olympic Games in Vila Real de Santo António, the world in São Brás de Alportel and nature in Loulé.
Loulé carnival, first held in 1906 is widely acclaimed as the best parade in the Algarve and is one of the most renowned in Portugal.

I have been unable to find anything out about the big parade in Tavira, which is the nearest to Santa Luzia where unfortunatly only a small childrens parade is organised.