Carnival 2013 to be held in Sant Ferran

Today, Formentera's councillor of Sports, Local Holidays and Community Involvement announced details regarding the Carnival programme for next Sunday, 10 February. In 2013, the festival known as Carnestoltes once again promises good times, colours, music and plenty of cheer.

New this year is the location: Sant Ferran. The move was made in support of the Formentera Council's decision to promote cultural events in each one of the island's towns.

The event officially begins Friday, 8 June at 10:45 am, when the joint student bodies of Verge Miraculosa and Mestre Lluís Andreu primary schools start at the Plaça de la Constitució and lead a procession through the town of Sant Francesc. This year, students of CP Mestre Lluís have organised an all-inclusive Carnival celebration to take place on the school's playground.

Then, on Saturday, 9 February, the Office of Youth Services will make its own contribution to the festivities by organising a Carnival workshop at the island's youth centre, El Casal de Joves. Conceived as a way to bring together Formentera youth, the activity will include fancy dress and make-up workshops and help participants start their Carnival celebration with a bang.

On Sunday, 10 February – coinciding as per tradition with the Sunday before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent – the all-ages parade will be held. Participants are asked to meet at 11:30 am on the Sant Ferran primary school playground. Leading the procession, musical entertainment for the event will be provided by the Ibiza Drum Ensemble.

All participants who show up in fancy dress will be judged and eligible for a variety of prizes. Second and first prize winners of the Best Fancy Dress (children's) will win 60 and 100 euros, respectively, while winners in the adults' category will receive 150 and 200. In the category of Most Original Fancy Dress, the winner will receive an award of 150€. Second and first place winners in the Best Fancy Dress group category (groups of three to ten) will get 250€ and 400€, respectively, while the same winners in the comparsa category (groups of more than ten) will receive 650€ and 950€.

Afterward, participants and onlookers alike are invited to make their way over to the Sant Ferran primary school where the versatile DJ Pharma will have young and old dancing to the beat. In a customary event organised this year by the Sant Ferran school's parents' association (l'APIME) and the Sant Ferran neighbourhood association, a community lunch will be hosted, free for all those in costume.

Every year, the Formentera Office of Local Holidays and Community Involvement oversees planning for the Carnestoltes holiday amid hopes of high resident participation for this most festive of celebrations.