The highly anticipated Gran Final of the Concurso Oficial de Agrupaciones Carnavalescas (COAC) 2025 at the Cádiz Carnival is set to light up the evening on Friday, February 28, as 14 exceptional groups vie for glory. Each year, the COAC brings together diverse talents, showcasing the vibrant cultural traditions of Cádiz through chirigotas, comparsas, and coros. This year's event promises to be particularly exciting as it features revered veterans alongside talented newcomers.
Scheduled to kick off at 19:55 local time, the Gran Final will be broadcasted live on Canal Sur Televisión and can also be streamed through CanalSur Más, ensuring fans can enjoy the festivity from multiple platforms including computers, smart TVs, and mobile applications. With anticipation building, local residents are buzzing about the final performances, each steeped heavily in humor, tradition, and cutting social commentary.
The finalists for the COAC 2025 have recently been decided following the last semifinal session, where the jurors announced the top contenders. Out of all participants, four coros (choral groups), four comparsas (musical theater groups), four chirigotas (satirical groups), and two cuartetos (quartets) successfully secured their spots for the Grand Final. The coros advancing to the finals include 'Las entrañas de Cádiz', 'Cádiz, el show', 'El gallinero', and 'El lado oscuro'.
Joining them are the chirigotas which have sparked interest this year: 'Los James Bond que da gloria verlos', 'Los butaneros Cádiz (chirigota de Cai/DCD)', 'Cádiz, los que van a cantar te la sudan', and 'Comparsa Los Calaíta (fuimos a por tabaco)', which is dedicated to the humorist Eugenio. Meanwhile, the comparsas making it to the finals are 'La tribu', 'Las ratas', 'El cementerio', and 'Los del otro barrio'. It is clear from the lineup this year, with its variety and depth, the competition will be highly spirited.
The announcement from the jury did not just cover the successful entries; it also reflected the scoring system, as groups needed to amass at least 450 points to qualify for the final rounds. This year, many performances were exceptionally close, with several well-established groups unexpectedly falling short. Notable near misses included 'La desafinada', who placed fifth among coros, and 'Los poderosos' within comparsas, both taking home significant scores yet missing the final cut. This kind of talent demonstrates the competitive nature of the festival, where even prominent figures face the possibility of elimination.
One of the most talked-about points among fans was the resurgence of José Guerrero Roldán, known affectionately as “Yuyu”, returning after 15 years with his chirigota 'Los James Bond que da gloria verlos'. This invites both nostalgia and excitement, as many old fans recall his previous successful entries.
During the press announcements post-semifinals, fans expressed their eagerness for the final competition. “The blend of both old and new talent makes for such rich storytelling and satire,” shared one enthusiast. The sentiment appears widely felt around Cádiz, where locals and visitors flock to hear the performances, drenched not just with humor but also cultural insights and contemporary observations.
This year's COAC promises to be not just about entertainment but also about the transition of artistic styles and influences, with younger groups bringing fresh perspectives and the seasoned performers ensuring they are not forgotten. The festival itself serves as fertile ground for discovery, as critics and audiences alike note how differing approaches can coexist within the same field of competition. For many local participants, the desire to win is matched only by the joy of performing.
Looking forward, the anticipation builds not just for who will be honored at the end of the night but for how the event as a whole will reflect the communities' thoughts and ideas about current socio-political spheres. The closing of this year's Carnival at Gran Teatro Falla will include the celebration of these stories told through captivating performances. With so much at stake, both audiences and participants are sure to be on the edge of their seats as the night of the Gran Final approaches!