Bratislava Carnival – February 7, 2026
Bratislava Carnival is returning to the streets. On Saturday, February 7, 2026, the 4th year of the popular city festival , which has been organized by BKIS since 2023, will be brought to the Main Square, Františkánske Square, the courtyard of the Old Town Hall and the premises of the Bratislava City Museum .
Carnival has long been a time of joy and community celebration before the Lenten season. Laughter, music, dance and masks were part of the village, but also of the city. Bratislava Carnival draws inspiration from this tradition and brings a full-day program and a masked carnival parade to the streets .
The day will start with a program especially for families with children, in the afternoon a large carnival parade in masks will take place through the city. The evening continues on the Main Square with concerts, dancing and festivities. Food and drink stands will also be available throughout the day.
The heart of carnival has always been the mask . This year’s challenge is simple: mask, carnival, celebrate . We invite individuals, families, schools, neighborhoods, friends, and communities to make a simple mask and join the carnival parade.
If you want to make a mask but don’t know where to start, creative workshops will help a week before the festival (for example, making Mexican masks).
During the carnival day, there will be a competition for the best masks for individuals and groups. Everyone can participate with their own mask, whether it was created at home or in workshops. There will be a competition for interesting and original prizes.
The symbol of the year is the White Snake , a large community-made carnival puppet. In Slavic tradition, it is associated with protection, renewal and good energy, and it is with this message that it will lead the procession. It will be created in joint workshops before the festival and everyone can participate in its creation.
