Burial of the Sardine Ceremony

Each year on Ash Wednesday, Spaniards gather to celebrate the end of Carnival with a parade called “Entierro de la Sardina,” aka Burial of the Sardine. Carnival is the season of excesses that includes street parties, circus’, excessive eating, and performing various other activities of overindulgence. The “Burial of the Sardine” symbolizes the burial of the past to allow a rebirth of society. In Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain the parade starts in Cervantes Plaza. The parade starts as an under taker leads a giant homemade sardine through the streets of the original city. The sardine is followed by a group of mourning widows towering over the crowd. The parade ends by burning the sardine in an open field.