| Item | February in Aruba | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rain | About 0.8 in (20 mm) | aruba.com weather page |
| Temperature | About 28 °C | aruba.com weather page |
| Lighting Parade, San Nicolas (2027) | February 4 | aruba.com |
| Grand Parade, San Nicolas (2027) | February 6 | aruba.com |
| Grand Parade, Oranjestad (2027) | February 7, the season finale | aruba.com |
| End of Carnival | Shrove Tuesday, midnight burning of King Momo | aruba.com |
Carnival in February
The Carnival season opens on November 11, but the highlights are in January and February. The tourism board describes the Oranjestad Grand Carnival Parade as the season's finale and the largest parade on the island, held on February 7, 2027. San Nicolas has its Lighting Parade on February 4 and its Grand Parade on February 6. The season ends on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, with the midnight burning of King Momo. The tourism board's history notes that grand parades have been a mainstay of the festival since 1957 and that the Lighting Parade, a nighttime event, was first produced by Tivoli in 1981.
The schedule gives no start times and no routes for the parades, so check them before you go. The January parades are in Aruba in January.
The weather
February has about 0.8 inch (20 mm) of rain and is part of the January to April dry stretch. Rain is brief, and trade winds are almost always present. The month table is in the best time to visit Aruba.
Where to stay for the parades
The Oranjestad parade is in the capital, so staying in town keeps you on foot or on the tram (see where to stay in Oranjestad). San Nicolas is on the southeast side, far from the resort strips: a taxi from the airport to San Nicolas is $45 (Visit Aruba). From the beach areas, a taxi to Oranjestad is $16 from Eagle Beach and $22 from Palm Beach, with $5 extra on Sundays: February 7, 2027 is a Sunday (see how to get around Aruba).
Other things to plan
Plan the island safari and the sail on non-parade days. The safari is about 8 hours with the Natural Pool on Viator, and the pool is safe only in calm seas (see Aruba's Natural Pool). The Oranjestad museums are described in Oranjestad. San Nicolas is also the art district, with murals you can see on a walking tour (see San Nicolas).
February compared with its neighbors
January averages about 1.0 inch (25 mm) of rain and March about 0.6 inch (15 mm), so February sits in the middle of the dry stretch, at about 0.8 inch (20 mm), with the same 28 °C as January (aruba.com weather page, read 6 November 2026). What sets February apart is the end of Carnival: the January parades build up to the two Grand Parades of the first weekend of the month, and after Shrove Tuesday the season is over. If your priority is the parades and not the beach, aim for the first week of February; if it is the beach and the quietest of the dry months, compare March on the month table in the best time to visit Aruba.
Typical mistakes
- Booking a San Nicolas stay for resort-style evenings: the town is far from the hotel strips.
- Forgetting the Sunday taxi surcharge on parade days.
- Mixing up the two Grand Parades: San Nicolas is on the 6th and Oranjestad on the 7th.
FAQ
When is the Grand Parade in Aruba in 2027?
February 6 in San Nicolas and February 7 in Oranjestad.
When does Aruba Carnival end?
On Shrove Tuesday, with the midnight burning of King Momo.
Is February a dry month in Aruba?
Yes: about 0.8 inch (20 mm) of rain on average.
Do I need a car for the parades?
No: taxis have fixed fares, and the tourism board describes downtown Oranjestad as easy to get around on foot or by tram.
Aruba Authority editorial team, 7 November 2026.
