Panama Carnival 2027 Dates, 6 to 9 February

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PANAMA · CARNIVAL

Panama Carnival 2027 falls on Saturday 6 to Tuesday 9 February 2027, the four days before Ash Wednesday on 10 February. Tuesday 9 February is a legal holiday, but no organiser has published a 2027 programme yet.

The biggest celebrations are normally in Las Tablas, a town in Los Santos province, and in Panama City. A strong earthquake hit central Panama on Friday 9 October 2026, and plans for Las Tablas are now unconfirmed.

Panama Carnival 2027 Dates

Carnival Tuesday falls 47 days before Easter Sunday, which is 28 March 2027, so it lands on Tuesday 9 February 2027. The four days are normally counted from Saturday 6 February, and Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, is Wednesday 10 February.

As of 2 November 2026 no official programme, venue list or ticket seller for 2027 has been published. The Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá (ATP), the national tourism authority, lists only the 2024 city edition in its Carnival calendar.

What Carnival in Panama Is

Carnival is the street party before Lent, the 40 days of fasting that lead up to Easter in the Christian calendar. Panama marks it with parades, costumed groups called comparsas, music and dancing.

A culeco is a water-truck soaking, where tankers spray the crowd to cool people down in the dry-season heat. Visitors should expect to get wet and keep phones in waterproof pouches.

Las Tablas Carnival: Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo

Las Tablas is the capital of Los Santos province on the Azuero Peninsula, a long drive from Panama City. The town splits into two rival street groups, Calle Arriba (Upper Street) and Calle Abajo (Lower Street), each with its own queen.

In 2026 the queens were crowned on Friday 13 February, with parades from Saturday to Tuesday. The rivalry closed with the topón, a queens’ face-off in Parque Porras, the central square, at dawn on Wednesday 18 February 2026.

What the October 2026 Earthquake Changes

After the earthquake of Friday 9 October 2026, municipalities and festival committees across central Panama cancelled or suspended celebrations in solidarity with affected families. Las Tablas and the rest of the Azuero Peninsula are among the areas hit.

No decision on Las Tablas Carnival 2027 has been announced as of 2 November 2026. Whether the town holds its usual events, scales them down or moves them is not yet known.

Panama City Carnival on the Cinta Costera

In 2026 the Alcaldía de Panamá, the city’s mayor’s office, ran the Festival Carnavalístico Volumen Caribe on the Cinta Costera, the seafront promenade. It ran from Friday 13 to Tuesday 17 February 2026, and a stretch of the avenue was closed to traffic.

The mayor’s office has announced no 2027 festival so far. Funding is not guaranteed, since the tourism authority has cancelled the city event before for lack of budget.

Holiday Rules for Tuesday 9 February

Article 46 of Panama’s Labour Code, as amended by Law 10 of 1981, lists Carnival Tuesday as a mandatory national rest day. Tuesday 9 February 2027 is therefore a legal holiday across the country.

Mitradel, the labour ministry, says a worker who must work that day earns a 150% surcharge on the ordinary day’s wage. The worker also gets a compensatory rest day within the same week.

What It Means for You

Travellers: book rooms and onward transport only with free cancellation until the organisers publish a programme, because Las Tablas plans are unconfirmed. Panama uses the US dollar, so American visitors need no currency exchange.

Do not pay a stranger for a reserved place at a parade. Buy only from sellers that the mayor’s office, the tourism authority or the local Carnival committees name.

Employers and expats: Monday 8 February is not a legal holiday, so check your own contract and any announcement from the labour ministry. Our Panama hub and Panama City guide cover the capital.

For wider context, read Panama’s culture in key figures and Panama’s politics explained. See also The Rio Times Latin America Power Index.

What Is Not Known

No official 2027 programme, ticket seller or price list has been published for Las Tablas or Panama City. It is not known whether Las Tablas will hold its usual queens, parades and topón.

The Panama City programme and its budget for 2027 are not announced. The date of the next announcement from the tourism authority or the mayor’s office is not confirmed.

More: Panama news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Panama Carnival 2027?

Carnival 2027 falls on Saturday 6 to Tuesday 9 February 2027, with Ash Wednesday on 10 February. No official programme has been published as of 2 November 2026.

Is Carnival Tuesday a public holiday in Panama?

Yes. Under Article 46 of the Labour Code, Carnival Tuesday is a mandatory rest day, so Tuesday 9 February 2027 is a legal holiday.

Will Las Tablas hold Carnival in 2027?

Not confirmed. After the 9 October 2026 earthquake, no decision on Las Tablas Carnival 2027 has been announced, so check local announcements before booking.

Do I need tickets for Panama Carnival?

No 2027 ticket seller or price has been published. Entry rules differ by town and year, so buy only from sellers named by organisers.

What is a culeco?

A culeco is a water-truck soaking at Carnival parties. Tankers spray the crowd to cool people down in the dry-season heat, so keep phones in waterproof pouches.

Sources: Ley 10 de 1981, amending Article 46 of the Código de Trabajo (Gaceta Oficial 19335, 9 June 1981), 1981; Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá, Carnavales calendar page, retrieved 2 November 2026.

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief