Guide to Carowinds’ Grand Carnivale international festival

Carowinds is known as the place “where the Carolinas come together.” During Grand Carnivale, that geography expands to include nations from around the world in a vibrant celebration.

Things get underway at 5 p.m. and last through 9 p.m. each evening through July 9, 2023 (except Tuesdays). This is Grand Carnivale’s third year at Carowinds, and its biggest season yet.

Flavors from around the world

Grand Carnivale features five food stations, each representing a different country and serving small bites. All food locations are in Celebration Plaza, the central area adjacent to Carolina Skytower and Starbucks.

Carowinds Executive Chef John Loukas and Sous Chef T. Alexander shared with gathered media that their team’s menu is almost entirely new for 2023, and has been in the works for nearly a year. Here’s the lineup:

China Food Station

• Bang-Bang Chicken – skewered chicken in peanut sauce with scallions
• Mongolian Beef – beef in ginger-soy sauce with carrots, scallions, and rice
• Sesame Balls – filled with raspberry preserves

France Food Station

• Crepe Champignon – crepe filled with wild mushroom sauce, gruyere cheese, shallots, and herbs
• Croque Monsieur – toasted brioche sandwich with ham, bechamel sauce, Brie, and thyme
• Pain au Chocolate – croissant-like dough with chocolate on the inside and powdered sugar on top

Germany Food Station

• Saubraten Slider – beef, red cabbage, gingersnap sauce, buns, tomato, and pickle
• Apfelstrudel – apple strudel with powdered sugar and whipped cream
• Pretzel Bites – served with beer cheese sauce

Italy Food Station

• Caprese Fresca – salad of mozzarella, tomatoes, basil/balsamic glaze, and pita chips
• Panzerotti – dough with provolone, ricotta, spinach, tomato, and basil inside
• Krapfen di Carnevale – doughnut with berries and cream inside and powdered sugar on top

Spain Food Station

• Paella – saffron rice with shrimp, chicken, sausage, garlic, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and peas
• Vegetable Empanada – fried pastry filled with potatoes, butternut squash, and cheese, accompanied by saffron and garlic mayonnaise
• Natillas de Leche – vanilla/lemon custard with cinnamon

Carowinds also serves a handful of specialty drinks during Grand Carnivale. Cocktails are $14.99 while mocktails are $9.99.

• Carnivale Cocktail
• Raspberry Beret
• Orange Blossom
• Peach Bellini Spritzer
• Sangria
• Very Berry Party Punch (non-alcoholic)
• Triple Glitter Jam (non-alcoholic)

Save Money on Grand Carnivale Food with a Tastings Card

Of the eight dishes we tried, our favorites were the crepe champignon from France and the vegetable empanada from Spain. Both are generous easily shareable servings.

Guests can purchase items a la carte (around $10) or bundle and save money with a “tastings” card with six tastes for $39.99 or 10 tastes for $59.99. Carowinds also offers a ticket package that comes with park admission and three tastes (more on that later). Beverages are not eligible for tastes.

After enjoying four tastes, both people in our group were happily full, if that gives you an idea of how many tastes might comprise a meal. If you overestimate your stomach and end up with leftover tastes, they’re valid throughout the duration of Grand Carnivale, so you can come back and use them any event night through July 9, 2023. Score!

Spectacle of Color Parade

Each evening during Grand Carnivale, the Spectacle of Color Parade takes to the streets with creative floats, dozens of dancers, and live musicians marching to the unifying spirit of Carnivale throughout the park.

Kern Studios from New Orleans designed the floats for the parade and the influence of the Big Easy is apparent throughout the procession. You might even be among the lucky park guests selected to ride aboard a float and throw beads to the crowd.

The Spectacle of Color Parade begins at 8 p.m. at the in-park entrance to Carolina Harbor water park. From there, it winds through the County Fair, Carolina Boardwalk, Thrill Zone, Carousel Park, and Celebration Plaza areas before finishing up near Intimidator. The parade performs a show stop in County Fair, Thrill Zone, and Celebration Plaza.

There’s no need to stake out a spot super early. Many guests stumble upon the parade as it’s rolling through, and there’s ample space on the parade route.

If the parade is your last activity of the day, watch from County Fair, where it will pass through first, so you can head out sooner. To see the floats’ nighttime lighting better, watch from Celebration Plaza since the sun has set by the time the parade arrives there. As a bonus in Celebration Plaza, the parade is immediately followed by the Royal Send-Off, a finale to the evening’s Grand Carnivale programming.

If you’ve had a full day at the park and won’t be able to stay for the parade, catch the Royal Welcome at 5 p.m. at the Plaza Stage. As the official kickoff to the evening, the show features many of the same dancers and musicians who perform in the parade.

Festival Activities

In addition to food and entertainment (plus all the roller coasters, of course), a few other activities round out a Grand Carnivale evening.

As you stroll through the dining thoroughfare, keep your eyes peeled for signage featuring cartoon animals. These critters are friends of Alligator King Mardi P. Gras. As part of Mardi’s QR Passport to Adventure, scanning the QR code on each animal will unlock a YouTube short in which the respective animal shares some educational fun facts about the country they represent. It’s a really nice touch that adds another unique layer to a Grand Carnivale visit.

Photo ops also abound throughout Celebration Plaza, many of them themed to the countries featured at the nearby food stations.

Guests can create their own crown or flower lei at a craft center. For extra charge, visitors can play midway favorites at Mardi’s Games Gallery. Those who want a souvenir to remember the festival can shop for apparel and other exclusive merchandise near Intimidator. How adorable is this Snoopy plush in his little Grand Carnivale t-shirt?

Grand Carnivale + Carowinds’ 50th = A Stacked Summer

Grand Carnivale’s two-week engagement overlaps with Carowinds’ summer-long 50th anniversary entertainment. The festival is the perfect chance to celebrate both occasions in one visit. From 5 p.m. onward, there’s nonstop entertainment park-wide.

The 50th’s festivities include a street party, live music, an illusionist show, and a nighttime spectacular with fireworks and drones. For dates and showtimes, consult the Carowinds app. From what we can tell, all acts for Grand Carnivale and the 50th perform every Sunday, Monday, Friday, and Saturday evening of Carnivale. Otherwise, different shows take different days off. The non-Carnivale entertainment for the 50th lasts through August.

That’s not to mention Aeronautica Landing, the new aviation-themed land with six new and re-imagined rides that celebrate the Carolinas’ distinction of being first in flight.

Purchasing Tickets to Carowinds’ Grand Carnivale

Grand Carnivale takes place 5-9 p.m. on June 24 – July 9, 2023, except on Tuesdays (June 27 and July 4). The festival is part of Carowinds’ regular operating hours and is included with park admission. For details about purchasing Grand Carnivale’s tastings cards, see above.

If you’re planning a visit to Carowinds specifically for Grand Carnivale and still need to buy your park ticket, consider the festival’s special offers. Carowinds sells all-day admission with three tastes for $59.99, as well as admission after 4 p.m. with three tastes for $39.99. Both options include parking. For comparison, standard daily admission starts at $44.99 plus $30 for parking.

If you’ll be back again at any point this year, opt for a season pass. They start at $115, with higher tiers including admission to the park’s special hard-ticket events like Scarowinds and WinterFest.

For more info and to browse ticket options, click here.