Schedule of the Carnival in Martinique
Carnival is not just in Martinique, only the Shrovetide, as soon as the end of Epiphany (Three Kings Day), parades in the towns are a warm-up of Shrovetide. Carnival, strictly speaking, it's 4 days of festivities on Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, Mardi Gras, and Ash Wednesday.
Carnival was supposed to end on the evening of Mardi Gras, but has been extended one more day (until the evening of Ash Wednesday) with a papal exemption granted to certain Caribbean islands and countries in South America in the mid-20th century.
Thus, Lent begins on the Thursday after Ash Wednesday at midnight, and the imposition of ashes is on Friday and not on Wednesday, as is customary in Catholic countries. Note that during Shrovetide, after urban parades, carnival festivities continue in different shows in nightclubs, restaurants, casinos, and other huts.
Saturday preceding the Shrovetide, Queens, Mother Queens and Mini-Queens are presented to the public in a presentation parade. Saturday is not a day of Carnival. The presentation remains something informal and recent.
Sunday is the presentation of the King Vaval at the head of the cortege, and the beginning of the festivities. The population is piling up in the city of Fort-de-France, trimmed of all types of costumes. No dress code is given and only originality is required on the first day of vidé.
On Monday, the burlesque marriage (burlesque wedding) is honored. Women are disguised as men, and men as women, sometimes as a bride. It is the inversion of the gender hierarchy in the couple. That day, the South Parade (the main parade of the island is organized by a municipality of the south of the island) is the event of the day. All the South Town Queens are present for the parade, and also the major bands of the island. This parade is very popular and brings the entire population of the south of the island.
Mardi Gras is a day that starts early. Indeed, on this occasion, the pyjama lévé, a morning parade that begins at 4:30 am, invites everyone in its path to come to wake the other inhabitants of the town, just wearing a nightgown or pajamas. Gradually, the parade grows before all these people go home (go back to sleep?) to get ready for the great parade of the afternoon. Mardi Gras is the day out of the Red Devils frightens younger children. The colors of the day are Red and Black. Better to follow the color code because otherwise you really spot in the vidé.
Ash Wednesday is the day of mourning, a day when Carnival people are adorned with black and white, the colors of mourning in Martinique. After the parade, the Vaval of the year will be burned on the Malecon, the place bordering the Bay of Fort-de-France. His many widows, Guiablesses, will weep seeing the disappearance, destroyed by fire. The festivities will continue in nightclubs until midnight, the start time of Lent.
The following Thursday must certainly be seen as the quietest day of the year, as it is quiet after the festivities that have lasted 4 days. Beware, though, the crab traps are out because hunting for crabs that will be consumed at Easter is open. Yes, in Martinique, "the show must go on"!