Carnival Calendar 2026 French Guiana - Complete Program

2026 French Guiana Carnival calendar: dates and main program

The 2026 French Guiana Carnival is the major cultural event at the start of the year in French Guiana. It will run from January 6, 2026 (Epiphany) to February 18, 2026 (Ash Wednesday), making it one of the longest carnivals in the world. During this period, the cities of Cayenne, Kourou, and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni (among others) come alive with street parades, masked balls, and unique carnival traditions (Touloulous, Tololos, Roi Vaval, etc.). Below are the exact dates of the highlights of the 2026 carnival and a detailed program of the main events.

Key dates for Carnival 2026

For clarity, here is a summary table of the main dates and events of the 2026 French Guiana Carnival, including the opening, Sunday street parades, Touloulous balls, Mardi Gras, and closing:

• Sunday, January 11, 2026: first parades in Cayenne (opening parade of the street carnival). This marks the start of the weekly parades.

• Sunday, January 18, 2026: parades on Cayenne Island (Cayenne and nearby towns, to be confirmed).

• Saturday, January 24, 2026: night parade in Rémire-Montjoly (event moved to Saturday evening)

• Sunday, January 25, 2026: traditional parade in Matoury (daytime parade, known as the Mémorial Dolorès Boromé in previous years)

• Sunday, February 1, 2026: Sunday cavalcades in Cayenne (and possibly other towns, exact program to be announced).

• Sunday, February 8, 2026: grand parade in Kourou (carnival groups take to the streets of Kourou – date subject to official confirmation

• Sunday, February 15, 2026 – Dimanche Gras: the peak of the carnival. At dawn, early morning vidés take place (for example, a large vidé in the early morning in Cayenne, and another simultaneously in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni). In the late afternoon, the Grand Closing Parade is held in Cayenne, bringing together all the carnival groups for a final spectacular parade. This event attracts huge crowds and brings the street parades to a spectacular close.

• On Saturday, January 10, 2026, the first masked ball of the season will take place, marking the festive opening of the nighttime carnival. It is during this opening night that King Vaval often makes his official appearance in the ballroom, kicking off the Touloulous season. Popular orchestras (such as Les Mécènes, Les Blue Stars, Ti Coco, etc.) set the mood with mazurkas, polkas, biguines, and piké djouk, traditional Guyanese dances.

• The Touloulous balls continue every weekend until the end of the carnival. Every Saturday evening, hundreds of Touloulous parade onto the dance floor, inviting male dancers to join them in turn. The rules are strict: only the Touloulou (masked lady) can choose her partner, and the man must never refuse an invitation. Anonymity and elegance are de rigueur, in accordance with the 10 commandments of the Touloulou.

• The last masked ball will take place on Saturday, February 14, 2026. This is the last chance to dance with the Touloulous before Mardi Gras. The atmosphere is particularly electric, as everyone knows that the carnival is coming to an end.

Please note: at the end of the season, the Tololos Ball takes place, reversing roles so that this time it is the men who dress up completely (Tololo being the male counterpart of Touloulou). The Tololos Face-off is usually held on the Friday before Mardi Gras (February 13, 2026) and is growing in popularity. It is a humorous and liberating evening where the rules are reversed—masked men invite women to dance—adding an original touch before the carnival comes to a close.

🎉 Highlights of Carnival in French Guiana

Shrove Sunday – February 15, 2026

At dawn, early morning parades kick off the day in Saint-Laurent (5 a.m.) and Cayenne (6 a.m.) in an electric atmosphere. In the afternoon, it's time for the Grand Parade in Cayenne, the highlight of the carnival with floats, costumes, and bands. In the evening, balls keep the party going until the end of the night.

Mardi Gras – February 16, 2026

Traditionally, Mardi Gras in French Guiana is marked by satire with burlesque weddings. These parody ceremonies make young and old alike laugh, with their reversed roles and exaggerated costumes (men in wedding dresses, theatrical staging, etc.). In the evening, it's time for theme parties in dance halls and clubs: the famous "Orange and Black Party," emblematic of Monday, sees revelers sporting these two colors in an elegant and offbeat atmosphere. Other events such as burlesque balls add an original touch to this penultimate night of festivities.

Mardi Gras – February 17, 2026

Make way for the Red Devils: the streets are tinged with red and black. Balls such as the Red Carnival bring this last night of revelry to a spectacular close. In Cayenne, must-see venues such as Chez Nana welcome partygoers until midnight, the symbolic hour when the carnival officially ends.

Ash Wednesday – February 18, 2026: farewell to Vaval

Ash Wednesday marks the official end of the French Guiana Carnival. From early morning, residents adopt the carnival mourning dress code: black and white. This day is dedicated to the symbolic burial of Vaval, the ephemeral king of the carnival. In the late afternoon, a final black and white parade winds its way through the city. In Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni in particular, a procession sets off at around 5 p.m. for a final tribute. Then comes the solemn moment: the cremation of Vaval, a powerful act that symbolizes the end of the festivities and a return to everyday life.