Buenos Aires Carnival

In Buenos Aires, Argentina carnival is a burst of noise and colour that takes over the streets. Dancers, drummers and flag bearers move through the city’s old avenues; sequins flashing against the concrete, music bouncing off the buildings. It’s not a polished show but something raw and alive. A celebration shaped by neighbourhood pride, rhythm and resistance. The murga, that blend of song, drums and movement, speaks of community and struggle, joy and defiance. I followed the parade as it wound through the city, drawn to the energy and contradictions, glamour and grit, unity and chaos. It’s everyday people transforming the ordinary into something transcendent, if only for an afternoon.

Three women in colorful bikinis performing in a street parade, with a crowd of spectators and dancers in the background.
A parade scene with performers in bright yellow and red costumes, one with a sombrero, waving large yellow and orange flags. A girl in a blue and white outfit stands near an orange bus labeled 'Escuela N° 32'. There are spectators lining the street and trees in the background.
Person dressed in colorful costume with a large rainbow flag on a city street, participating in a parade or protest, with other people and a bus in the background.
People participating in a parade, some dressed in traditional costumes, with one person waving a large tricolor flag on a city street.
Colorful sports flags and pennants hanging on a wall, including logos of soccer clubs and images with various designs and text
Women in colorful costumes and feathered headdresses participating in a street parade, with spectators watching nearby.
Women dancing in colorful costumes on a street during a parade, with onlookers and billboards in the background.
People participating in a street parade, with women dressed in traditional colorful costumes, and a girl dancing in a modern blue outfit, with onlookers and buildings in the background.
People dancing on a city street during a parade or celebration, with some women wearing costumes and high heels, and spectators watching.
People walking and standing on a city street during a parade or festival, including a woman in an elaborate feathered costume with black boots, and a man in a colorful costume with a large hat, with buildings and trees in the background.
Women and children in colorful costumes participating in a parade on city street, with buses and spectators in background.
Women dressed in colorful bras, tutus, and high heels dance in a street parade, with onlookers and city buildings in the background.
Women dressed in colorful bikinis and costumes dancing on a city street during a parade, with spectators and a red and white bus in the background.
People participating in a parade on a city street, waving large yellow and red flags, with some wearing red and yellow uniforms, and others standing beside orange buses.
A young woman in a gold and silver costume with dangling beads and fringe, standing outdoors with greenery in the background.
A street parade featuring performers in colorful costumes. A group of drummers in yellow shirts, white pants, and wide-brimmed hats decorated with red, blue, and yellow, are playing drums. A dancer in a yellow swimsuit, high heels, and a feathered headdress is dancing with her arms raised. Spectators are watching, and city buildings, including a pharmacy, and a bus are visible in the background.