Author: Juan Anthonio Kambuno



Gualeguaychú is the place where the most important of Argentina's Carnival celebrations takes place - the "country's carnival" (El Carnaval del Pais). The carnival is open every year, on Saturday of January and February (sometimes in a weekend of march). Typically it begins about 11:30 pm and lasts until near 4 am with revelers all dancing in the streets until hours past dawn. A carnival center (Corsodromo) containing 38,000 seats was built in the city, and in this Corsodromo samba bands, dance during the Carnival celebrations along its 500 meters. 

During the Carnival del Pais, 4 samba clubs (Comparsa) compete for the title of the carnival. The clubs are Mari Mari, O'Bahía, Kamarr, Papelitos and Ara Yeví. Each Comparsa includes over 700 dancers and is followed by 5 huge stages, a drum band (Batucada) and a singing band. Each club chooses a theme and a theme song, and the theme is brought to life using the stages, costumes, decorations and songs. The champion will have the privilege of a comeback the following year, to defend against the other two groups place and deserved recognition.


            The carnival is basically a big gathering for the country to enjoy their lives and have fun with their culture. We will ride a bus from Buenos Aires to Buses to Gualeguaichu leave every one and a half hours, and there are several bus companies (Nuevo Expreso, Flecha Bus, and Ciudad de Gualeguay). It is about 3 hours drive. The entrance fee to the carnival stadium is 15 Peso. The costs of marked seats in the tribunes are 3 Pesos (unmarked seats are free) and the cost of seats close to the walking trail is 4-8 Peso (depending on the closeness to the parade).