Carnaval is for families, friends, fiestas, and fun. Celebrated as Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday by French, Carnaval peaks the night before Ash Wednesday, 46 days before Easter, a last repast and fling before the austere season of Lent. This year most communities celebrated Carnaval at the beginning of February, but not Los Barriles. Breaking with tradition, Saturday, February 20^th, our Delegada, Francis Olachea, with Josefina Ruiz, welcomed families from La Paz and surrounding pueblos to create a combined Carnaval of a size never seen before in Los Barriles.