More on the Buenos Aires Carnival 2010

February is here, that means is carnival time in Buenos Aires. Every weekend from Saturday, February 6 until Sunday, February 28, “El Corso de Buenos Aires” or  “Carnaval Porteño” (Buenos Aires Carnival) takes place at a number of barrios, featuring 33 corsos, thousands of artists, 107 murgas (carnival bands), and over one thousand drums and percussion instruments.

Murgas are somehow the artistic expressions of people from marginal neighbourhoods through their songs and urban folk customs although people from all confines of life participate in these celebration. The lyrics of the songs are called “críticas”, which combine the social criticism with humour and dancing. What identifies the murga porteña from others is their costumes (frock coat, gloves, top hat, and stick), the drums with cymbals, and the various traditional rhythms used to differentiate every neighbourhood.

Even though el carnaval here is not as good as in other parts of Argentina such as Gualeguaychú and Corrientes, it is interesting to go and take a look, have fun and dance with the rest of the sweaty happy people.

So, every Saturday and Sunday, starting at 7 pm until late, you can go to celebrate el carnaval porteño in different spots. Here you have a list so you can choose. I recommend Almagro and Abasto…

Abasto: Av. Córdoba entre Agüero y Sanchez de Bustamante.

Almagro: Av. Corrientes entre Medrano y Bulnes.

Bajo Núñez: Ramallo entre Vuelta de Obligado y Arcos.

Balvanera: Av. Independencia entre Matheu y Rincón.

Núñez: Av. Congreso entre Cabildo y Moldes.

Boedo 1: Av. Boedo entre San Juan e Independencia.

Boedo 2: Av. Belgrano entre Columbres y Maza.

Caballito1: Av. Avellaneda entre N. Oroño y F. Sarmiento.

Caballito 2: Av. Gaona entre Trilles y Boyacá.

Colegiales: Av. Federico Lacroze entre R. Freire y Martínez.

Liniers: Tuyutí entre Carhué y Cosquín.

Lugano 1: Av. Riestra entre Leguizamón y Murguiondo.

Lugano 2: Av. Cruz entre Murguiondo y Lisandro De la Torre.

Mataderos: Av. Alberdi entre Araujo y Av. Escalada.

Monte Castro: Av. Juan B. Justo y Lope de Vega.

Parque Avellaneda: Av. Directorio entre Av. Olivera y Lacarra.

Parque Centenario: Lambaré entre Sarmiento y Corrientes.

Paternal1: Av. Nazca entre Lascano y Baigorria.

Paternal 3: Av. San Martín entre Juan B. Justo y Seguí.

Piedrabuena: 2 de abril entre Av. General Paz y Montiel.

Pompeya1: Av. Cruz entre Las Palmas y Av. La Plata.

Pompeya 2: Av. Perito Moreno entre Ochoa y Taborda.

Saavedra1: Av. Balbín entre Plaza y Machain.

Saavedra 3: Av. Balbín entre Pico y Arias.

San Telmo: Av. San Juan entre Bolívar y Balcarce.

Villa Crespo: Av. Scalabrini Ortiz entre Av. Corrientes y Padilla.

Villa Pueyrredón: Moscón entre Terrada y Bolivia.

Villa Urquiza: Av. Triunvirato entre Roosevelt y Rivera.

Versalles: Jonte entre Juan B. Justo y Barragán.