Michelle Char Fernández Crowned Queen of Barranquilla Carnival 2026
The Board of Directors of Carnaval de Barranquilla has unanimously chosen Michelle Char Fernández as the official 2026 Queen of the Barranquilla Carnival, making her the 90th sovereign to lead Colombia’s most iconic celebration.
The announcement was made on Friday, August 15, by Barranquilla’s mayor, Alejandro Char, via his official X (formerly Twitter) account.
“Barranquilla, here’s your queen! Michelle Char Fernández will reign over the Barranquilla Carnival 2026. Congratulations to this proud Barranquillera and true carnival lover who will make us celebrate with unity, joy, and community spirit,” he said.
At 23 years old, Michelle began her dance training at Julie de Donado’s school and spent a decade as part of the Ballet de Barranquilla. In 2018, she served as the youth captain at the Barranquilla Country Club. She has performed on numerous artistic stages, including two previous Carnival queen coronations. Her folkloric background includes groups such as Kadanzá, the cumbiamba La Revoltosa, and the comparsa Pasión Latina. For the past three years, she has been part of Fuerza Negra, winning two prestigious Congo de Oro awards.
Michelle studied Interior and Product Design at NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, in Milan, Italy. She is a fashion entrepreneur with two creative brands: 08MIL, inspired by Barranquilla’s postal code, and COSSAS, which blends design experiences with product creation.
“I am a proud Barranquillera, passionate about my culture, creative, talented, and with a good heart. I accept this honor with gratitude and joy,” she said.
First Lady Katia Nule de Char congratulated her, calling the appointment a “dream come true” for Michelle and expressing confidence that the city will welcome her reign with open arms.
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