This global festival with of course Brazil as the most famous host is one of Bonaire’s largest yearly celebrations. Preparations take place all year, and peak in January. Costumes and floats are built and decorated by hand and often have current events as their theme. The election of the king and queen and the ‘tumba’ are celebrations with live bands in various quarters of Bonaire. The highlight is the ‘Gran Marcha’, the large parade in Kralendijk in February. Traditionally, the festival ends with the burning of the straw King Momo, thereby cleansing the island of sins and bad luck.
