Secret Tenerife

Santa Cruz de Tenerife delays the start of Carnival 2027 celebrations by two weeks

2026-03-23T17:51:00.000+00:00

From Rhythm and Harmony Carnival 2026 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council, through its Festivals department, has announced that, exceptionally, the start of Carnival 2027 will be delayed by two weeks due to the impossibility of setting up the Carnival stage in less than a week at the Tenerife International Centre for Trade Fairs and Congresses, which will remain occupied by the PIT (Parque Infantil y Juvenil de Tenerife), a major annual Christmas-themed play centre, until January 6th. Following the traditional schedule, the Carnival festivities would have begun on January 8th with the opening Gala, just two days after Three Kings' Day.

This decision, which is not only based on logistical constraints but also aims to facilitate the work of Carnival groups, suppliers, and those professionally involved in the celebration, will move the Opening Gala from January 8th to January 22nd, 2027, while Carnival in the street will take place from February 19th to 28th. FOR MORE INFO SEE: Tenerife Carnival Dates for 2027

The city's mayor, Jose Manuel Bermúdez, emphasized that "we couldn't demand the impossible or risk the quality of a Carnival of this magnitude," adding that "this change will allow all parties involved to work more comfortably." "I am convinced that this adjustment to the schedule will allow us to offer an even better and higher quality Carnival, which is already excellent."

For his part, the Councillor for Festivals, Javier Caraballero, stated that "this is a decision that benefits the Carnival groups, the suppliers, and the organization itself," adding that "it would have been physically impossible to guarantee the proper setup of the stage in just one week, so the general interest took precedence in this decision."

Santa Cruz retrasa dos semanas el inicio de las actividades de celebración del Carnaval 2027

Queen of Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival invited to inaugurate the parade for the 60th anniversary of the Notting Hill Carnival

2026-03-02T16:54:00.000+00:00

The current Carnival Queen, Carla Castro, to open the Notting Hill Carnival parade.

The president of the Notting Hill Carnival in London, Ian Comfort, has invited the Queen of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival to open the parade in the British capital this year, coinciding with its 60th anniversary.

Comfort was on the island of Tenerife for the carnival, where he served on the jury for the Carnival Queen election gala and expressed his delight with the level of competition, stating that he hadn't seen anything like it in a long time, as he explained in statements to the online magazine 'The Showroom Mag' reported by Europa Press.

It would be, they explain, the current Queen, Carla Castro, who would have the honor of opening the London parade in this historic edition, its 60th anniversary. The event, scheduled for August 29-31, would place Castro, her costume, and her designers at the heart of one of the world's biggest festive stages, offering international exposure for the Tenerife brand and its main carnival, the Santa Cruz Carnival.

Londres invita a la Reina del Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife a inaugurar el desfile de su 60 aniversario

The Secrets of Tenerife's Oldest Castle

2026-02-27T09:00:00.001+00:00

The Castle of San Miguel, the oldest in Tenerife

After 450 years of resisting pirates and the fury of a volcano, San Miguel Castle in Garachico celebrates four and a half centuries of history as the guardian of Tenerife's coast. Built in 1575, this rustic building has survived fires, attacks by Nelson's fleet, and the devastating eruption of 1706.

Garachico has the privilege of housing Tenerife's oldest fortification. San Miguel Castle, an imposing building that has just celebrated its 450th anniversary, stands as a silent witness to the era when the town was the main gateway to the island and the most prosperous port in the archipelago.

Originally built in 1575 to repel pirate and privateer raids, this defensive bastion is today a symbol of resilience. Located next to the famous natural pools of El Caletón, the building has survived fires and, above all, the historic volcanic eruption of Trevejo (Arenas Negras) in 1706. Although the lava buried the port and ended the area's economic dominance, the castle remained intact, untouched by the flow.

The mystery of the warden and a unique architecture

Unlike the fairy-tale castles of the Iberian Peninsula, San Miguel Castle is a rustic stone fortification designed for the modern warfare of its time. "It has no drawbridge or moat because its true enemy was the cannon," explain the cultural promotion experts of the municipality. Its walls, much thicker than usual, were designed to absorb the impact of heavy artillery.

Inside, the castle hides an unparalleled heraldic treasure: five coats of arms, a number unmatched by any other fortress in the Canary Islands. Among them, the most notable is that of Philip II, who authorized its construction to provide the island with a first-rate defence.

However, what most surprises visitors is an almost medieval figure that survives to this day: the chief warden. This lifetime position, currently held by Francisco Gutiérrez Hernández, is a historical rarity. It is believed that he may be the only warden of a castle in all of Spain, a tradition that astonishes even the high-ranking military officers who visit the town.

The flag that faced Nelson

The heritage value of San Miguel is not limited to its walls. The castle is the spiritual home of the Garachico Regiment, whose militia participated in the heroic defence against the attempted conquest by British Admiral Horatio Nelson in 1797.

Inside, one can admire one of the best-preserved flags of the period (dated 1760), which still bears the marks of gunpowder from combat. This piece, usually kept at the Almeida Military Museum, periodically returns to the fortress to commemorate the island's wartime past.

From Military Stronghold to Cultural Centre

The castle's modern history changed in 1959 when the Garachico Town Council purchased the property from the Army for the symbolic sum of 2,719.26 pesetas. Since then, thanks to the efforts of prominent mayors like Lorenzo Dorta, the building has been transformed into the Heritage Information Centre.

Today, San Miguel Castle not only offers the best views of the volcanic landscape and the historic centre from its parapet platform, but it also remains an architectural gem that attracts thousands of tourists. It is a living reminder that Garachico, despite natural disasters, never ceased to be a fortress.

El secreto del castillo más antiguo de Tenerife: 450 años resistiendo a piratas y a la furia de un volcán

The Castle of San Miguel stands imposingly alongside the El Caletón
swimming pools after 450 years of living history

Not such a 'convenience' for those below the castle walls!

Cannon on the roof of San Miguel Castle

Barrel vault ceiling inside the San Miguel Castle

The Carnival Route: Key Dates by Municipality

2026-02-26T11:42:00.001+00:00

Carnival Main Parade in Los Cristianos 2024 - Photo Arona Town Hall

If anyone thought that the end of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival meant it was time to pack away their costumes, they were wrong. The island is preparing for another wave of celebrations that will sweep through various municipalities in the coming weeks. From San Cristóbal de La Laguna to the spectacle of the Los Cristianos International Carnival, Tenerife is still in carnival mode. The variety of themes and the overlapping dates in several locations across the island will require even the most enthusiastic carnival-goers to organize their schedule well. Tenerife proves, once again, that Carnival is not just a date on the calendar, but a feeling that refuses to end.

For those who don't want to miss a single dance, here is the itinerary for the coming weeks:

Candelaria

The town will be dressed up from February 25th to March 1st under the evocative theme "Journey to Japan." It will be five days of festive intensity, with the main event taking place on Saturday, February 28th. That night, at 10:00 p.m., the venue next to the Town Hall will make history with a free concert by Óscar D'León. The "Sonero del Mundo" will be accompanied by El Morocho and the Acapulco and Caracas Latin Brother orchestras.

The closing event, on Sunday, March 1st, will have a strong family focus:

12:00 p.m.: Start of the children's parade "El Cosito".
2:30 p.m.: Grand Daytime Carnival with the Corinto Band Orchestra.
6:15 p.m.: Headlining performance by El Combo Dominicano.
Finale: Burning of the Sardine and a grand finale with the Nueva Línea Orchestra

Los Cristianos

One of the most anticipated events in the south will take place from March 5th to 16th. The Los Cristianos International Carnival will dedicate twelve days to the theme of space. This event is establishing itself as the main festive epicenter of Arona, transforming the tourist hub into an intergalactic stage that attracts thousands of visitors each year.

The Daytime Carnival, in 2026, will be held on two key dates: March 7th and 14th. These daytime events are designed to make it easier for families and visitors to attend, with a program that includes concerts, workshops, and activities for all ages. For their part, the Opening Parade and the Grand Finale Parade once again become two of the main attractions, thanks to the procession of floats and the participation of troupes from various locations, showcasing the festival's inclusive spirit.

The program also emphasizes diversity and social participation, with initiatives such as the Inclusion Parade, aimed at bringing carnival to all groups, and the now-traditional Drag Queen Show, which adds a touch of irony and spectacle. The festivities will conclude on March 16th with the Burial of the Sardine, a symbolic act that bids farewell to the celebrations with a blend of satirical humor, popular tradition, and a communal atmosphere.

Full program: Carnaval Internacional de Los Cristianos 2026

Granadilla de Abona

With the theme, ‘Beautiful and Beloved Mexico’, on Saturday, February 28, starting at 5:30 p.m., the highly anticipated Grand Carnival Parade will take place, beginning on Avenida Mencey de Abona and ending at Parque de Los Hinojeros. The parade will feature the comparsas Kuliquitacas del Sur, Guajeiros, Aborasau, Joroperos, and Cariocas, as well as the batucadas Baraberé and Tamatimba.

On Friday, March 6, the Plaza de la Cultura in San Isidro will host the Murguero Gathering, starting at 7:00 p.m., with performances by the murgas Guachinquietas, Diablos Locos, and Irónicos.

The grand finale will take place on Saturday, March 7th with the El Médano Daytime Carnival 2026, which will include the inaugural parade and children's day carnival from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with DJ David Pérez and Olga González; and from 5:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., in the Plaza de El Médano, Grupo Nueva Ilusión, Orquesta Los Ideales, DJ Fabrizio Salgado, El Combo Dominicano, Rafael Flores “El Morocho”, Orquesta Nueva Línea and The Boys Machine will take to the stage. The traditional Burial of the Sardine will also take place, starting at 7:00 p.m., departing from the town square and ending at the football field, thus bringing the 2026 Carnival to a close.

The Carnival Route: Key Dates by Municipality

Garachico February 20 to March 8
Los Gigantes ~~February 26 to March 8~~ Los Gigantes carnival is postponed until the weekend of March 13, 14 and 15 (due to adverse weather conditions)
San Cristóbal de La Laguna February 27
Granadilla de Abona February 27 to March 7
Adeje February 28
Santa Úrsula February 28 to March 1
Guía de Isora February 28
Tegueste March 5 to 7
Arafo March 6

Si te quedaste con ganas de más, no guardes el disfraz: guía completa del Carnaval en Tenerife por municipios

Santa Cruz bids farewell to a historic Carnival with no dates or theme set for next year

2026-02-23T12:34:00.008+00:00

The final carnival party in Santa Cruz de Tenerife on Sunday 22 Feb 2026

If the liturgical calendar, which sets the dates for Easter, were applied, the festivities would begin on January 8th, leaving no time to set up the stage.

The celebration of the third edition of the Senior Carnival in Plaza de la Candelaria, organized by the Government of the Canary Islands, brought a successful edition to a close, particularly due to the splendour of the second Daytime Carnival, which drew 425,000 people on Piñata Saturday. It evoked memories of epic events, such as Celia Cruz's Guinness World Record in 1987 - when 250,000 revellers danced outdoors - or Juan Luis Guerra's edition in 2019, when it was reported that more than 400,000 carnival-goers participated. Santa Cruz bid farewell to Carnival this Piñata Sunday. True to tradition, the festivities began in García Sanabria Park with a classic car show, whose roaring engines and honking horns then filled the air as people strolled through the heart of the city. Almost simultaneously, the Afilarmónica Ni Fú-Ni Fá was singing the final songs of the Latin Rhythms Carnival in the bandstand in Plaza del Príncipe.

Reflection for Next Year

Looking ahead to next year, the organizers have decided to take a period of reflection. If the traditional calendar, which is regulated by Holy Week, were followed, the opening ceremony would have to be held on January 8th, two days after the visit of the Three Kings, and the first phase of the children's carnival group competition would take place on January 15th. This would mean there wouldn't even be a week to set up the stage at the Tenerife International Centre for Trade Fairs and Congresses, where the Tenerife Children’s Play Centre (PIT) is open until the 6th.

Carnival 2027 Planning

The Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival organizers are taking their time with planning for next year.

Generally in recent years, on the final day of the carnival, the Department of Festivals would announce the results of the vote to choose the theme for the following year's Carnival. This year, however, the organizer, Javier Caraballero, decided to embrace the common phrase that in Santa Cruz, it's Carnival all year round.

The reality is that the short time required for the next edition necessitates a reflection process, one in which even the mayor of Santa Cruz, José Manuel Bermúdez, wants to include other stakeholders connected to the festival, both representatives of groups and other long-time carnival participants.

The main decision will be whether to ratify a schedule that prevents the stage from being set up at the fairgrounds on time or to deviate, at least for one year, from the traditional calendar dictated by the Church. This would mean that the street carnival dances would be held after Ash Wednesday and opens the door to the desire of some, such as the Councillor for Festivals, to establish a fixed date for the carnival celebrations—a hypothesis that the mayor, who maintains that the festival should continue to follow the traditional calendar, would accept given the current circumstances.

The vote on the theme is scheduled to take place in the coming weeks, while the organization is immersed in preparations for the May Festivals, including the Pope's visit to Santa Cruz de Tenerife on June 12th.

Along with structural decisions, such as the date of the celebration, other significant artistic matters remain to be decided. The Councillor for Festivals has set aside these decisions so as not to diminish the success of the Latin Rhythms Carnival.

The only point of significant disagreement this year centres on the format of the queen's election gala, which could lead to a change in artistic direction, currently held by Daniel Pagés. Javier Caraballero faces a difficult task in an election year. The search for a gala like the one at the 2023 Carnival dedicated to New York could mean the return of Enrique Camacho at the cost of jeopardizing the team that Caraballero has assembled this year. The Councillor for Festivals has a lot of work ahead of him to define the new edition, of which, for now, the only certainty is that it will be held at the beginning of 2027.

Santa Cruz despide un Carnaval histórico sin fechas ni motivo para el próximo año | El Carnaval de Santa Cruz 2027 podría no depender de la Cuaresma por primera vez en la historia | El Carnaval de Santa Cruz podría romper con la tradición: el motivo que obligaría a cambiar las fechas

José Manuel Bermúdez, Mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife does not rule out exceptionally moving the Carnival to dates other than the traditional ones linked to Lent, for logistical reasons, although he clarifies that it would then return to its usual dates. He does not believe a Carnival as late as the middle of summer is likely, but he is considering "different dates."

2 Mar 2026: Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council has unanimously approved the proposal to designate the two local holidays in the city for 2027. The chosen dates are Tuesday, February 9, coinciding with the traditional Carnival / Shrove Tuesday, and May 3, the day on which the capital of Tenerife celebrates its Founding Festivities. Nevertheless, there is still no decision on the dates for the celebration of the 2027 Carnival.

23 Mar 2026: Santa Cruz de Tenerife delays the start of Carnival 2027 celebrations by two weeks | Tenerife Carnival Dates for 2027

27 Mar 2026: Having changed the dates of the 2027 Carnival, Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council has approved the modification of the local holidays for 2027, establishing Carnival Tuesday, to be celebrated on February 23, and May 3, Día de la Cruz (Day of the Cross), as public holidays in the municipality. Santa Cruz aprueba los festivos locales de 2027 tras ajustar el calendario del Carnaval

Tenerife Carnival Dates for 2027

2026-02-23T09:00:00.373+00:00

Last Saturday of Carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2026

Searching for information on the Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife Carnival or Karneval Teneriffa 2027 then you've come to the right place.

WARNING: There are currently doubts being cast over the dates of carnival in 2027, but we'll update as soon as we hear that decisions are made.

UPDATE 23 Mar 2026: Santa Cruz de Tenerife delays the start of Carnival 2027 celebrations by two weeks and so far have announced that the Opening Gala is to be moved from January 8th to January 22nd, 2027, while Carnival in the streets will take place from February 19th to 28th.

These are the dates that Santa Cruz Carnival 2027 should take place, based on many previous years' timetables: After the inauguration on Friday, 8 January 2027 and the long list of contests (below), Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival 2027 in the streets should begin on Friday, 5 February 2027, with the Opening Parade and run through to Sunday, 14 February 2027.

Everything here is still subject to official confirmation or change:

Moved to Friday 22 January 2027: Inauguration of Carnival 2027
Thursday, 28 January: 1st Phase of the Junior Murgas Contest
Friday, 29 January: 2nd Phase of the Junior Murgas Contest
Saturday, 30 January: 3rd Phase of the Junior Murgas Contest
Sunday, 31 January: Festival of Choreographed Groups
Monday, 1 February: 1st Phase of the Adult Murga Contest
Tuesday, 2 February: 2nd Phase of the Adult Murga Contest
Wednesday, 3 February: 3rd Phase of the Adult Murga Contest
Friday, 5 February: Final of the Murga Contests
Saturday, 6 February: Contest of Musical Groups
Sunday, 7 February: Gala Election of the Junior Carnival Queen
Wednesday, 10 February: Gala of the Senior Carnival Queen
Thursday, 11 February: Comedy Song Contest
Saturday, 13 February: Comparsas Contest
Sunday, 14 February: Costume Contest and the Rondallas Contest
Tuesday, 16 February: Los Fregolinos Concert
Wednesday, 17 February: Gala Election of the Carnival Queen
Thursday, 18 February: Festival of Zarzuela
Friday, 19 February: Opening Parade
Saturday 20 February: Rhythm and Harmony Comparsas
Sunday 21 February: Daytime Carnaval
Monday 22 February: Carnaval Monday and Dragnaval
Tuesday 23 February: Carnival Main Parade
Wednesday 24 February: Burial of the Sardine
Thursday 25 February: Festival of Rondallas
Friday 26 February: Children's Carnival Parade
Saturday 27 February: Daytime Carnaval
Sunday 28 February: Exhibition and parade of vintage cars, end of carnival parties and carnival closes with a firework display

Many of the events can be watched live on CarnavalTVC

The year 2027 is an important anniversary for Carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, as it is forty years since the first time the carnival had a theme - in 1987 that first theme was "Rome". That was also the year that Santa Cruz Carnival got into the Guinness Book of Records when the late Celia Cruz with the Sonora Matancera and Billo's Caracas Boys led the line up of an unforgettable Carnival Tuesday night with more than 240,000 attendees. (That number was since greatly exceeded, but not officially recorded.)

In 1987 the Carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, for the first time, had a theme and listed here are all of the themes and carnival queens since then.

Look back over 40 years of Carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife:

Santa Cruz en Carnaval 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, Guardians of the Sceptre 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

Forty years ago: Santa Cruz en Carnaval 1987

Thirty years ago: Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival Queen 1997

Twenty years ago: Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival Queen 2007

Ten years ago: Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival Queen 2017

Puerto de la Cruz Carnival 2027

Thursday 4 February - Election of the Carnival Queen
Saturday 6 February - Proclamatory Parade
Wednesday 10 February - Burial of the Sardine
Friday 12 February - Mascarita Ponte Tacón
Saturday 13 February - Main Parade

Los Gigantes Carnival 2027

The start of carnival in Los Gigantes is usually on the Friday ten days after Shrove Tuesday, which would be on Friday 19 Feb 2027. Their Carnival Main Parade is usually held on the Sunday, which would be 21 Feb 2027.

Los Cristianos Carnival 2027

As ever, we won't even guess when Los Cristianos carnival will be held. Once available, the dates can generally be found within the relevant year's Calendario de Fiestas del Municipio (Calendar of the municipality's festivals). However ... Even if Arona publish dates ahead, they are in the habit of changing the dates at the very last minute and these changes have not been advertised nor reported in the media, so it requires constant manual watching of their site (above) to know.

All dates are subject to changes that are beyond our control

Why is the Last Weekend of Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival Called Piñata Weekend?

2026-02-22T13:11:00.004+00:00

At Carnival on Piñata Saturday 2026

The term "Piñata Weekend" originates from an old custom that prolonged Carnival beyond Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, well into Lent.

Carnival officially ended on Ash Wednesday, and Santa Cruz already mourned during the Burial of the Sardine. But the festivities still have one last push with Piñata Weekend. After Carnival comes Lent, a time historically dedicated to reflection, from which these last two days of celebration are taken. But what is the origin of its name?

The term "Piñata Weekend" originates from an old custom that extended Carnival beyond Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. "In various parts of Spain and in the Canary Islands, the festivities continued during the first days of Lent, in what was known as Little Carnival or Piñata Carnival," explains Julio Torres, a historian from La Laguna, citing researcher Pedro Manuel Grimón González.

Italian Pignatta

The word comes from the Italian word pignatta (fragile pot), because it was traditional that before the start of Lent, a period of fasting and abstinence, the game of breaking a clay pot or pignatta filled with sweets was celebrated.

"The piñata resembled a large orange, covered in colourful fabrics and adorned with numerous colorful ribbons. One of these ribbons opened the mechanism through which the objects inside fell out: nuts, flour, candies, gofio (a type of flour), eggs, sweets, and perhaps a small mouse or rabbit."

Piñata Dance

The piñata was broken as part of a choreographed dance, the Piñata Dance: "Couples began to dance, circling the piñata. The leader kept order so that all the couples took turns pulling the ribbons. When the piñata broke, the music stopped."

Today, carnivals like the one in Santa Cruz de Tenerife maintain Piñata Saturday and Sunday as days of intense festive activity. These dates are located after the Burial of the Sardine and are part of the calendar that marks the end of the celebrations in the city, but the festivities continue in other parts of the island.

¿Por qué se llama Piñata al último fin de semana del Carnaval?

(A pignatta (or pignata) is an Italian term for an earthenware cooking pot, historically used to cook beans in fireplaces. It is the origin of the Spanish word "piñata", referring to the fragile, clay containers used in European and, later, Mexican celebrations. It's derived from the Latin pinea ("pine cone"), referencing the original shape of these pots.)

Winter Olympics Carnival Style on Piñata Saturday in Santa Cruz 2026

Carnival Main Parade in Santa Cruz 2026

2026-02-18T14:21:00.001+00:00

Carnival Queen in the Carnival Main Parade in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2026

Santa Cruz Carnival reached its climax on Shrove Tuesday, 17 Feb 2026, with a massive four-hour parade. More than a hundred groups, led by the Queen and her ladies-in-waiting, participated to the beat of batucadas and Latin rhythms in the grand, multi-coloured parade that filled Santa Cruz.

Radiant sunshine accompanied yesterday's grand, multi-coloured parade featuring over a hundred groups and organizations from the Santa Cruz Carnival, the queens, and their courts of honour. Thousands of people packed the stands and seating provided by the Santa Cruz City Council along Francisco la Roche and Marítima avenues to enjoy a spectacular afternoon.

The Coso, an unmissable event and one of the most traditional and popular parts of Tenerife's most internationally renowned festival, was a resounding success. It began promptly at four in the afternoon and was characterized by high participation from both the Carnival groups and the thousands of spectators who gathered to enjoy the spectacle.

Once again, the large number of tourists and visitors who wanted to take advantage of their stay on the island to witness one of the most important hallmarks of Carnival was striking.

Comparsas, rondallas, murgas, musical groups, dance troupes, floats, decorated cars, Carnival characters, and the queens, accompanied by their ladies-in-waiting, dazzled with their costumes and performances, accompanied throughout the parade by music, batucadas, and murga marches, in a parade that signalled the approaching end of the quintessential Santa Cruz de Tenerife festival.

Las Celias de Tenerife, a group of men paying tribute to the late singer Celia Cruz [Source]

As a major novelty this year, the popular group Las Celias opened the parade, celebrating 30 years of participation in the Carnival. Its members wanted to pay special tribute to their president and founder, Javier García, who was unable to attend the festivities. To commemorate this happy anniversary, the group brought out every single costume they have worn throughout these thirty years, creating a live exhibition in a moving parade.

Members of the Afilarmónica Nifú Nifá in the Carnival Parade 17 Feb 2026

Following Las Celias, the Afilarmónica Nifú Nifá (the grandfathers of carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife) took to the streets and was greeted with applause, demonstrating the enormous affection that Carnival veterans inspire wherever they participate.

The winners of the Costume Contest and the comparsa Bahía Bahitiare then gave way to the adult Carnival Queen, Carla Castro, with her iconic costume.

PHOTOS: Click for another 280 photos of the Coso Apoteosis (Grand Parade)

Following the monarch, the various Carnival groups paraded, including the ladies-in-waiting, the children's and adult queens, and their respective courts.

Undoubtedly, one of the highlights of the parade is the opportunity to observe up close and in broad daylight the work of the designers and their teams, who create spectacular costumes worn not only by the Carnival Queen candidates but also by the groups, troupes, and satirical musical groups, brimming with originality, which manage to surprise everyone each year.

The strong family atmosphere of the parade was evident once again throughout the entire route, both among the participating groups and the large crowds who gathered to applaud the creativity and talent of the Carnival performers.

The Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council installed a total of 6,500 free chairs for the public along the entire parade route, in addition to the bleachers set up along the city's coastline, with a capacity for another 1,300 people.

Many of the seats were filled by tourists, largely from the south and north of the island, where they are spending their holidays. According to the Santa Cruz City Council, around 250 buses carrying tourists arrived in the city yesterday to enjoy the Coso Apoteosis (Grand Parade).

The parade proceeded smoothly and without incident, in a family-friendly atmosphere, with the haze almost dissipated and the participants showing off their elaborate costumes and designs amidst dancing and singing. After about four hours of enjoyment, as the sun began to set, this grand parade came to an end, serving as a prelude to a grand finale that promises to be equally spectacular. Today, Wednesday, the event will take place at 10:00 p.m., when the popular Burial of the Sardine will begin, officially bidding farewell to Carnival, although there will still be one last weekend to enjoy before its final closing next Sunday.

El Carnaval de Santa Cruz vive su apoteosis con un Coso multitudinario de cuatro horas

VIDEO: Coso Apoteosis Carnaval S/C de Tenerife | 2026

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival Queen 2026

2026-02-12T14:16:00.003+00:00

Carla Castro Castellano, Carnaval Queen in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2026

The most anticipated announcement of the year arrived on the evening of Wednesday 11 February: Santa Cruz de Tenerife has a new Carnival Queen. Carla Castro Castellano is the new sovereign of the Santa Cruz Carnival 2026 with "Icónica" (Iconic) a design by Alexis Santana, representing McDonald's and El Día newspaper. That's two in a row for both the designer and sponsors, who were also winners in 2025.

Mayor of Santa Cruz, José Manuel Bermúdez, together with Queen of 2025, Elizabeth Ledesma Laker, presented the sceptre to the new sovereign.

Now, the festivities can take to the streets with the Opening Parade this Friday, February 13th, bringing the events at the Tenerife International Centre for Trade Fairs and Congresses for this year to a spectacular close.

Ladies-in-Waiting

The new queen will be accompanied by her four ladies-in-waiting. The first lady-in-waiting is Arlena Rubí Mantecón Hernández with “Luminis” (of the light) by Santi Castro, representing the Añaza Carrefour Shopping Centre.

Arlena Rubí Mantecón Hernández with “Luminis,” by Santi Castro

It's been a pretty good year for Santi Castro, with his designs winning both the Junior and Senior Carnival Queens and now the first lady-in-waiting. Santi's name has been familiar to me for as long as I've been following the Santa Cruz Carnival - for which he's been designing since 1980 - and with no need to be impartial in my retirement, I can now reveal that he's always been my favourite. There have been times when I've felt he was robbed of a win, because the judges perhaps weren't brave enough to go with his avant-garde designs, but this time, as his candidate paraded first at the gala, we were struck by how "conservative" it seemed, comparatively at least.

Then we disolved into fits of giggles at the mere idea of applying the word "conservative" to any of these, frankly ridiculous, if fantastic, creations.

Cecilia Esther Díaz Hernández, with ‘Sueños de Cristal’, by Sedomir Rodríguez de la Sierra

Cecilia Esther Díaz Hernández was chosen as second lady-in-waiting with her fantasy “Sueños de Cristal” (Crystal Dreams), by Sedomir Rodríguez de la Sierra, representing Dormitorum and Diario de Avisos.

Daniela Sánchez Padilla, with ‘Atamande‘, by Team Santana Carnaval

The third lady-in-waiting is Daniela Sánchez Padilla, with “Atamande”, from Team Santana Carnaval, representing Repsol Grupo González Canarias.

Alianara León Hernández, with ‘De tu infierno a mi cielo’, by Yosué Riverol

The court is completed by Alianara León Hernández with “De tu infierno a mi cielo” (From your hell to my heaven), by Yosué Riverol, representing the Island Council of La Palma and the Illustrious City Council of El Paso.

This year's gala has not been without criticism, with El Día newspaper listing among the worst parts, the designers' musical choices - we also felt that the music chosen for many of the candidates seemed to bear no relation to their designs and definitely no relation to carnival - and the sound problems.

Well, the worst of the sound issues wasn't so much the failure of the sound during the performance by Los 4 (somewhat ironic, as there were 5 of them) group from Cuba, so much as that it didn't fail during the turn of Manny Manuel, Puerto Rican singer, of whom one commentator opined, "Manny Manuel no longer sings like he used to, or he was drunk." We thought so too. The most generous said that the artist, once considered as "the king of merengue", wasn't having his best night. Lots of people agree that there are better Latin acts, but it seems very apparent it's a matter of budget.

There was also aesthetic debate. Several comments agreed that silver and gold predominated this year, with very little chromatic variety.

Diario de Avisos even went as far as to draw parallels with the gala of 2007, with their headline “Not even Amargo dared to go this far”, recalling the bitterly contentious event, when Rafael Amargo presented a gala that eliminated the essence of Carnival to turn it into an empty television show, without rhythm and that left the candidates in the background. Disagree, NOTHING could be that bad. To be fair, it wasn't it's best year either.

The Queen representing the Hogar Canario Venezolano (Venezuelan-Canarian Home) did not participate in the Gala for the first time this year, breaking a 42 year old tradition. This news was shared by the mayor of the capital, José Manuel Bermúdez, who confirmed the group's absence due to 'bureaucratic difficulties' due to the current situation in the country.

VIDEO: Gala Reina adulta Carnaval S/C de Tenerife | 2026

233 images from the Carnival Queen Gala in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2026

Carla Castro, Reina del Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife: la representante de McDonald's y El Día gana con la fantasía 'Icónica' de Alexis Santana

Carla Castro Castellano, Reina del Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2026

Minuto a minuto, la Gala de la Reina del Carnaval de Santa Cruz

Senior Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz 2026

2026-02-05T22:25:00.001+00:00

Dominga Jiménez Pérez, Senior Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2026

Dominga Jiménez Pérez was chosen on Wednesday night, during the Gala held at the Tenerife International Centre for Trade Fairs and Congresses in which eleven candidates participated, as Senior Carnaval Queen in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2026. Dressed in the costume "Y llegaste tú" (And You Arrived), by designer Santi Castro, Ms Jiménez arrived at the Santa Cruz Carnival representing the Santiago del Teide City Council.

Her court of honour was headed by María Félix Ramos, who wore "La cosecha" (The Harvest), by Dani Mena, representing Halcón Viajes and Elige Tu Viaje; while María Cristina Fariña was designated as second lady-in-waiting, with "Reina de dos mundos" (Queen of Two Worlds), by Juan Carlos Armas, representing the Arafo City Council; María Ángeles Ramos, wearing "A mi ritmo" (At My Own Pace), by Borja Abreu, representing the La Laguna City Council, was placed as third lady-in-waiting, the court was completed by María del Carmen Hernández, with a creation by Dailos Rodríguez "Eternum Regnum" (Latin phrase meaning "eternal kingdom," "everlasting realm," or "perpetual reign") representing the Tenerife Canarian Wrestling Federation and Petarditos Fiesta.

Around 5,000 spectators gathered to witness the two-and-a-half-hour show, directed by Paula Álvarez and hosted by Victorio Pérez. The Gala featured musical performances by King África, Pepe Benavente, El Morocho, and Jhonny Maquinaria.

The Gala jury consisted of Héctor León, a Fine Arts graduate and costume designer for film and theatre; María Encarnación Ibáñez, a pattern-making and sewing professor in the textile department of Las Indias; Marielba González, director of MG Medical Group clinics; Marta Cairós, director of News Services for Televisión Canaria; Patricia Hodgson, a Fine Arts graduate, painter, and art curator; Carmen Suárez, PhD in Arts and Humanities, conservator and restorer of cultural heritage; and Inés Domínguez, the audience jury member.

The Gala, broadcast live on Televisión Canaria, was also the Senior Citizens' Groups Festival, which this year featured performances by Con Nuestra Gente Chincanayros, Volcanes del Teide, Reconecta2, Tercera Edad Tegueste, Las Incansables de Icod, Antón Guanche Candelaria, Mayores del 2000, Fraisa, Monte Nevado, and Rondalla Las Nieves, in that order.

VIDEO: Gala Reina de los Mayores Carnaval S/C Tenerife | 2026

Dominga Jiménez fue proclamada esta noche Reina de los Mayores del Carnaval 2026

Dominga Jiménez Pérez, with designer, Santi Castro

Junior Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz 2026

2026-02-03T12:05:00.002+00:00

Micaela Díaz Lima, Junior Queen of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival 2026 | More photos

Santa Cruz has crowned its first Carnival Queen for 2026 after a lively and emotional gala held the Tenerife International Centre for Trade Fairs and Congresses on Monday (2nd February), under the artistic direction of Paula Álvarez. The Junior Queen of Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival 2026, is Micaela Díaz Lima with a costume entitled “Desde bien lejitos vengo” (I Come From Far Away), designed by Santi Castro, Designer and president of the Tenerife Carnival Designers' Association who celebrated the verdict with his team with enthusiasm and excitement, representing Clínicas Dr. Blas García. The meticulously crafted costume stood out for its fantasy, vibrant colours, and perfect adaptation to the spirit of the festivities. The sceptre was passed to the new young sovereign by Mayor of Santa Cruz, José Manuel Bermúdez Esparza and the outgoing Junior Queen, Camila Dorta Díaz.

Her court of honor included first maid of honour, Leire Socas Alam, with “Mi destino se llama amistad” (My Destiny Is Called Friendship), by David Afonso Darías, representing Podas Bello and Maquinarias Cohermo; Sofía Campos Ramos became the second runner-up, with the costume entitled “Burbujas de amor” (Bubbles of Love), designed by Sedomir Rodríguez de la Sierra, and representing Grupo Intesa. As third lady-in-waiting, Daniela Barrera Padilla wore the costume “Cuenta conmigo” (Count on Me), designed by Alexis Santana, representing the Carnival Float Association and the El Crayón de Sofi Children's Schools; and the last of the ladies-in-waiting, the fourth, was Ana Ferrera González, with the costume “La hora del planeta” (Earth Hour), designed by Dani Mena, representing Henry Cly Photographer, Grupo El Cine, Grupo Los Menceyes, and Ferretería Miraes.

The jury that chose the Children's Carnival Queen and her four Ladies-in-Waiting was made up of Marco Toledo, film and theatre producer, filmmaker, and teacher; Trinidad Pérez Trujillo, representing the public jury; Alegría, presenter, makeup artist, and children's event host; Aina Arpiz, costume designer; Eva Trujillo, presenter for Televisión Canaria; and Sergio Branic, music and theatre producer, presenter, and singer. and Carolina Bethecourt Lorenzo, a professor of Clothing and Accessories Styling at the Las Indias Comprehensive Vocational Training Centre.

The coronation ceremony unfolded quickly, focusing on the candidates and the culminating moment of the jury's decision. With this election, Carnival enters its most intense week. The next events are already scheduled: the Senior Queen will be chosen on Wednesday, 4 Feb, while the adult Queen will be crowned at a Grand Gala on Wednesday, 11 Feb, hosted by Alexis Hernández and television personality Paula Vázquez.

VIDEO: Gala Reina Infantil Carnaval S/C Tenerife | 2026

Carnaval Internacional de Los Cristianos 2026

2026-01-08T17:15:00.007+00:00

Poster for the Carnaval Internacional de Los Cristianos 2026 with the theme
"Nos vamos directos ¡Al Espacio!" (We're going straight to space!)

The streets of Los Cristianos will be transformed from Thursday, March 5th to Monday, March 16th, 2026 into a universe of color, music, fantasy, and joy for all ages. The festivities kick off on Thursday, March 5th with the highly anticipated Carnival Presentation and the unveiling of the candidates for Children's Queen, Senior Queen, and Carnival Queen.

Among the highlights is Saturday, March 7th, with the First Daytime Carnival, a day to enjoy music and a festive atmosphere with family and friends. This event will be followed by the spectacular Carnival Opening Parade; the Comparsa Competition and the Murga and Dance Group festivals; the galas for the election of the Senior, Children's, and Youth Queens; the Inclusion Parade; the irreverent Drag Queen Show of the Carnival; the Family Daytime Carnival; the Grand Carnival Parade; and the Burial of the Sardine.

Their Gran Coso Apoteosis del Carnaval (Carnival Main Parade) will take place on Sunday, 15 March 2025 (Usually starts at around 4 pm from the Paloma Beach apartments in the Avda. Juan Carlos I to the Centro Cultural). The program below is translated direct from Arona town hall's website, so I'm publishing it here in good faith, however, feel I must also include the WARNING that Arona has been known to move the dates at the last minute.

23/02/26: These dates are confirmed with the launch of an official poster

PROGRAM

THURSDAY, MARCH 5

Carnival Presentation and Candidates for Children's Queen, Senior Queen, and Carnival Queen

FRIDAY, MARCH 6

Carnival Groups Competition

SATURDAY, MARCH 7

First Daytime Carnival

Carnival Opening Parade

SUNDAY, MARCH 8

Murgas Gathering

MONDAY, MARCH 9

Carnival Dance Group Festival

TUESDAY, MARCH 10

Carnival Queen Election Gala

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11

Inclusion Parade

Carnival Queen Election Gala for Children

THURSDAY, MARCH 12

Grand Carnival Queen Election Gala

FRIDAY, MARCH 13

Carnival Seniors Ball

Carnival Drag Queen Show

SATURDAY, MARCH 14

Second Daytime Carnival with national and international artists

Family Daytime Carnival with diverse performances, workshops, and children's Carnival activities

Carnival Costume Contest

11th Beach Route At the end of the "Óscar Hernández" awards ceremony for the most original, most horrifying, and most outrageous costumes.

SUNDAY, MARCH 15

Classic and Antique Car Show

Grand Carnival Parade

MONDAY, MARCH 16

Burial of the Carnival Sardine

END OF CARNIVAL

This schedule is subject to change

Carnaval Internacional de Los Cristianos - Arona 2026

Via: WonderfulTenerife, El Periódico del Carnaval

Public Holidays in Tenerife in 2026

2025-04-28T12:53:00.001+01:00

The Government of the Canary Islands approved the calendar for 2026. It does not include July 25th, the Feast of St. James the Apostle (patron saint of Spain), as that falls on a Sunday, replacing it with May 30th, Canary Islands Day. Also, December 6, Día de la Constitución Española (Spanish Constitution), which falls on a Sunday, has been replaced with November 2, creating a three-day long weekend.

The the holidays for the Canary Islands in 2026:

January 1st, Año Nuevo (New Year's Day)
January 6th, Epifanía del Señor (Epiphany/Three Kings Day)
April 2nd, Jueves Santo (Holy Thursday)
April 3, Viernes Santo (Good Friday)
May 1, Fiesta del Trabajo (Labour Day)
May 30, Día de Canarias (Canary Islands Day)
August 15, Asunción de la Virgen (Assumption of the Virgin)
October 12, Fiesta Nacional de España (National Day of Spain)
November 2, Todos los Santos (All Saints' Day)
December 8, Inmaculada Concepción (Immaculate Conception)
December 25, Natividad del Señor (Christmas Day)

In Tenerife, February 2, the Feast of Our Lady of Candelaria is also a holiday.

El Gobierno aprueba el calendario laboral de Canarias para 2026

More information: Public holidays in the Canary Islands

Tenerife Carnival Dates for 2026

2025-03-10T09:00:00.130+00:00

The poster designed by Héctor Expósito from La Palma, entitled "Es más bello vivir bailando" (It is more beautiful to live dancing), was the winner of the competition organized by Fiestas de Santa Cruz de Tenerife and represents this year's carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Searching for information on the Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife Carnival or Karneval Teneriffa 2026 then you've come to the right place.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival 2026 has a theme and a calendar

‘Ritmos latinos’ (Latin rhythms) will be the theme of Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival 2026, which will be held between January 16 and February 22. The choice of theme is the result of the online vote, organized by the city council, which won with 34.21% of popular support over the other options. The result was announced on the final day of the 2025 carnival in Santa Cruz.

El Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2026 ya tiene tema y calendario

CONFIRMED: The next edition of the Carnival, in 2026, will begin on Friday, January 16 with the Opening Ceremony. After that inauguration and the long list of contests (below, based on many previous years' timetables), Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival 2026 in the streets will begin on Friday, 13 February 2026, with the Opening Parade and will end on Piñata Sunday, February 22.

Friday, 16 January: Inauguration of Carnival 2026
Friday, 23 January: 1st Phase of the Junior Murgas Contest
Saturday, 24 January: 2nd Phase of the Junior Murgas Contest
Sunday, 25 January: Festival of Choreographed Groups
Monday, 26 January: 1st Phase of the Adult Murga Contest
Tuesday, 27 January: 2nd Phase of the Adult Murga Contest
Wednesday, 28 January: 3rd Phase of the Adult Murga Contest
Thursday, 29 January: 4th Phase of the Adult Murga Contest
Saturday, 31 January: Final of the Murga Contests
Sunday, 1 February: Contest of Musical Groups
Monday, 2 February: Gala Election of the Junior Carnival Queen
Wednesday, 4 February: Gala of the Senior Carnival Queen
Friday, 6 February: Comedy Song Contest
Saturday, 7 February: Comparsas Contest
Sunday, 8 February: Costume Contest and the Rondallas Contest
Tuesday, 10 February: Los Fregolinos Concert
Wednesday, 11 February: Gala Election of the Carnival Queen
Thursday, 12 February: Festival of Zarzuela
Friday, 13 February: Opening Parade 275 photos
Saturday, 14 February: Rhythm and Harmony Comparsas photos
Sunday, 15 February: Daytime Carnaval
Monday, 16 February: Carnaval Monday and Gala Dragnaval
Shrove Tuesday, 17 February: Carnival Main Parade
Wednesday, 18 February: Burial of the Sardine photos
Thursday, 19 February: Carnaval Inclusivo and Festival of Rondallas
Friday, 20 February: Children's Carnival Parade 6pm
Saturday, 21 February: Daytime Carnaval (Santa Cruz de Tenerife drew over 425,000 people on Piñata Saturday)
Sunday, 22 February: Exhibition and parade of vintage cars, end of carnival Senior Carnival party and carnival closes with a firework display

Many of the events can be watched live on CarnavalTVC

From the Cabalgata Anunciadora (Carnival Opening Parade) on 1 Mar 2019

(Don't worry about carnival in the streets beginning on Friday the 13th, because it's Martes 13 (Tuesday 13th) that is considered unlucky in Spain.)

Thirty years before: Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival Queen 1996

Twenty years before: Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival Queen 2006

Ten years before: Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival Queen 2016

Puerto de la Cruz Carnival 2026

The International Carnival of Puerto de la Cruz this year looks to Mexico as its source of inspiration and the festivities kick off on Friday, February 6, with the official inauguration and the presentation of the candidates in the Plaza de Concejil, starting at 9:00 pm. The carnival runs to Sunday 22 February. Some key dates and events are:

Thursday 12 February - Election of the Carnival Queen
Friday 13 February - Election of the Carnival King
Wednesday 18 February - Burial of the Sardine
Friday 20 February - Mascarita Ponte Tacón
Saturday 21 February - Main Parade, from 4 pm.

Further details from: Programa del Carnaval Internacional 2026

Los Gigantes Carnival 2026

Yet to be confirmed, but the start of carnival in Los Gigantes is usually on the Friday ten days after Shrove Tuesday, which would be on Friday 27 Feb 2026. Their Carnival Main Parade is usually held in the afternoon of the Sunday, which would be 1 March 2026.

Los Gigantes carnival is postponed until the weekend of March 13, 14 and 15 (due to adverse weather conditions)

Los Cristianos Carnival 2026

Carnaval Internacional de Los Cristianos 2026

All dates are subject to changes that are beyond our control

Carnaval Internacional de Los Cristianos 2025

2025-03-01T10:00:00.028+00:00

The poster for the 2025 Los Cristianos International
Carnival, a reflection of the tribute to Venezuela

The Los Cristianos International Carnival 2025, which will be held between 𝟐𝟎 and 𝟑𝟏 of March, has been confirmed with an official poster. The theme is 'Venezuela, a carnival of rhythm, colour and joy' and the Tenerife artist Nareme Melián has created a work that fuses the union between the Canary Islands and Venezuela with easily recognisable images and motifs.

This also clarifies that their Coso Apoteosis (Carnival Main Parade) will be taking place on Sunday, 30 March 2025 (~4 pm from the Paloma Beach apartments in the Avda. Juan Carlos I to the Centro Cultural).

Via: The council's own department of Fiestas Arona

There is a programe for Los Cristianos Carnival 2025, in five languages. You can also download separate PDF versions in English, German, French and Italian. Translated from the program on Arona council's website:

Venezuela, a carnival of rhythm, color, and joy

PROGRAM

THURSDAY, MARCH 20

8:30 PM: Carnival Presentation and Candidates for Junior Queen, Senior Queen, and Carnival Queen. Location: Infanta Leonor Auditorium in Los Cristianos.

FRIDAY, MARCH 21

7:00 PM: Carnival Exhibition Opening by Laly González. Location: Hall of the Los Cristianos Cultural Centre.

9:00 PM: Carnival Group Competition. Location: Carnival Grounds (Chajofe Boulevard), Los Cristianos.

SATURDAY, MARCH 22

6:00 PM: First Daytime Carnival. Location: Carnival Grounds (Chajofe Boulevard), Los Cristianos.

7:00 PM: Carnival Announcing Parade. Route: Playa de Las Américas, from the Gala Shopping Centre on Rafael Puig Lluvina Avenue to Oasis Shopping Centre on Las Américas Avenue.

9:30 PM: Musical performance "Mayelín: Tribute to Celia Cruz."

12:00 AM: Grand Dance with entertainment by the Los Ideales orchestra. Location: Carnival Grounds (Chajofe Boulevard), Los Cristianos.

SUNDAY, MARCH 23

6:00 PM: Murga Group Gathering. Location: Carnival Grounds (Chajofe Boulevard), Los Cristianos.

MONDAY, MARCH 24

6:30 PM: Carnival Choreographic Group Festival. Location: Carnival Grounds (Chajofe Boulevard), Los Cristianos.

TUESDAY, MARCH 25

8:00 PM: Carnival Queen Election Gala. Location: Carnival Grounds (Chajofe Boulevard), Los Cristianos.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26

10:00 AM: Inclusion Parade. Route: From Trasmallo Promenade (Bahía Shopping Centre), along the Los Cristianos coastal promenade to Pescadora Square.

8:00 PM: Carnival Queen Election Gala for Children. Location: Carnival Grounds (Chajofe Boulevard), Los Cristianos.

THURSDAY, MARCH 27

8:30 PM: Grand Carnival Queen Election Gala. Location: Carnival Grounds (Chajofe Boulevard), Los Cristianos.

FRIDAY, MARCH 28

6:00 PM: Carnival Seniors' Ball. Location: Patio of the Los Cristianos Cultural Centre.

8:30 PM: Carnival Drag Queen Show. Location: Carnival Grounds (Chajofe Boulevard), Los Cristianos.

11:30 PM: Grand Dance with entertainment by Sabrosa and Maquinaria Band. Location: Carnival Grounds (Chajofe Boulevard), Los Cristianos.

11:30 PM: DJ Zone with DJ entertainment. Location: Plaza del Pescador (outside the Cultural Centre), Los Cristianos.

SATURDAY, MARCH 29

3:00 PM: Second Daytime Carnival with national and international artists. Location: Carnival Grounds (Chajofe Boulevard), Los Cristianos.

3:00 PM: Family Daytime Carnival with various performances, workshops, and children's Carnival activities. Location: Plaza de la Pescadora and main streets of Los Cristianos.

7:00 PM: Carnival Costume Contest. Location: Plaza de la Pescadora, Los Cristianos.

9:00 PM: 11th Beach Route. At the end, the "Óscar Hernández" awards ceremony will be presented for the most original, horrifying, and outrageous costume. Route: From Plaza de la Pescadora, Plaza de la Alpispa, C/ Juan Reverón Sierra, Av. Los Playeros to Plaza de la Pescador (outside the Cultural Centre), Los Cristianos.

7:00 PM: DJ Zone with local DJs. Location: Plaza del Pescador (outside the Cultural Centre), Los Cristianos.

11:30 PM: Grand dance with entertainment by the Wamampy and Armonía Show bands. Location: Carnival Grounds (Chajofe Boulevard), Los Cristianos.

SUNDAY, MARCH 30

11:00 AM. Classic and Vintage Car Exhibition. Location: Carnival Grounds (Chajofe Boulevard), Los Cristianos.

4:00 PM: Grand Carnival Apotheosis (Carnival Main Parade). Route: From the Paloma Beach Apartments, on Juan Carlos I Avenue, to the Los Cristianos Cultural Centre.

8:00 PM: Grand dance with entertainment by the El Combo Dominicano and Malibu bands. Location: Carnival Grounds (Chajofe Boulevard), Los Cristianos.

MONDAY, MARCH 31

9:00 PM: Burial of the Sardine Carnival Parade. Route: From Plaza del Pescador (Fisherman's Square outside the Cultural Centre) to Los Cristianos Beach.

11:00 PM: Widow's Ball, End of Carnival, with entertainment by Grupo Acorde. Location: Plaza del Pescador (Fisherman's Square outside the Cultural Centre), Los Cristianos.

END OF CARNIVAL

This program is subject to change.

Carnaval Internacional de Los Cristianos - Arona 2025

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival Queen 2025

2025-02-27T12:12:00.002+00:00

Elizabeth Victoria Ledesma Laker is Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2025
Photo: Gala de la Reina Adulta, Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife

2025 Carnival Poster

The climax of the preparations for this year's carnival arrived in Santa Cruz de Tenerife on the evening of Wednesday, 26 Feb 2025, when the city chose it's new carnival queen from among 11 candidates at the gala, directed by Jep Meléndez and presented by Lara Álvarez and Alexis Hernández, at the Tenerife International Fairs and Congress Centre to a packed audience of over 7,000 people.

Elizabeth Victoria Ledesma Laker was elected Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2025, with a costume entitled “Conexión” (Connection), designed by Alexis Santana, and representing McDonald's and newspaper El Día-La Opinión de Tenerife.

Elizabeth Ledesma Laker previously represented Spain at Miss International 2017 in Tokyo, Japan, and participated in Miss Supranational 2024 in Poland. At the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival in 2020, Elizabeth was part of the court as Fourth Maid of Honour. 'Queen Elizabeth' is a native of Arona, as is the Queen of the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife's Seniors, a double for the southern municipality.

Her court is made up as follows:

1st Maid of Honour: Laura Fernández Ruiz, with a costume entitled “Gotas de Cielo” (Drops of Heaven), designed by Sedomir Rodríguez and representing Dormitorum
2nd Maid of Honour: Marta Pérez Baute, with “El cielo y tú” (The sky and you), by Santi Castro, for Añaza Carrefour Shopping Centre
3rd Maid of Honour: Ainhoa Díaz Sánchez, with “La Fontaine”, by Juan Carlos Armas, for Alcampo La Laguna Shopping Centre
4th Maid of Honour: Michelle Castro Adrián, with “Origen” (Origin), by Jorge González Santana, for Mediterráneo Insurance Brokerage.

The mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, together with the Queen of 2024, Corina Mrazek González, presented the sceptre to the new sovereign, while Councillor of Fiestas, Javier Caraballero, awarded the maids of honour.

The jury that crowned the new Queen and her four Maids of Honor was made up of Alejandro Palomo, creator of the Palomo Spain brand; María Escoté, fashion designer; Maya Hansen, Spanish designer specialized in high-quality corsets; Marianela Hernández (Marilyn’s Closet), Canarian content creator; Alberto Trujillo, renowned set designer for carnivals in the Canary Islands; David and Miguel López, designers and creators of the Davide Leotards firm; Agustín Rubiales, former president of the Aula de Cultura del Carnaval de Cádiz, Favorite Son of the city, Knight Hospitaller and Flag of Andalusia of Solidarity and Concord; Lourdes Santana, regional director of Cadena SER; Miguel Paule, medical director of Clínica Paule, and Verónica Rodríguez, queen of the Hogar Canario Venezolano 2025.

Yotuel Romero and Roldán González of Cuban hip hop group, Orishas performed at the Gala. We first saw them in 2008, in a basket ball court wedged between apartment blocks in Los Realejos - their Hip Hop Conga was the official carnival song that year - and they promised to return then. They also played at the record breaking Daytime Carnival event on Saturday 9 March 2019. 'The group was first called "Amenaza", "threat" or "menace" in Spanish, and appealed to the Cuban youth. The choice of this name for the hip hop group was a way of creating a direct link between the band and the African diaspora.' An appropriate choice then for this year's carnival theme of “Los Secretos de África” (The Secrets of Africa).

Carnival now takes to the streets on Friday, 28 Feb 2025, with it's Opening Parade (time and route here). You can also consult all the Stages, dates and times of all the performances of the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2025 (in Spanish).

Elizabeth Ledesma Laker, Reina del Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2025

Senior Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz 2025

2025-02-21T12:11:00.002+00:00

María Julia Bello García receives the sceptre from mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez
Photo: Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife

María Julia Bello García [who had been 1st Maid of Honour in 2023] was proclaimed Senior Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2025, carnival dedicated to "The Secrets of Africa", on Wednesday, with the fantasy "Yo soy Carnaval" (I am Carnival), designed by David Afonso Hernández, representing the dance academy Dile que Sí and Espectáculos Alma Show. The sceptre was presented to her by the mayor of the city, José Manuel Bermúdez, who was accompanied on stage by the Councilor for Festivals, Javier Caraballero, and the president of the Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, during the course of a Gala in which more than 5,400 people enjoyed a show full of music and humour.

Her court is made up of Mª Candelaria de la Rosa, as 1st Maid of Honour, with "Ópera" (Opera), designed by Borja Abreu, representing the City Council of La Laguna; Mª Isabel González, with “Por amor” (For Love), by Antonio Santos, representing Gador Producciones S.L., M. Ascencio Cruz S.L.U. and Espectáculos Bravo Tenerife S.L, as 2nd Maid of Honour; followed as 3rd Maid of Honour by Mª Carmen Perera, with “La leyenda” (The Legend), designed by Juan Carlos Armas, representing Arafo Town Hall, and as 4th Maid of Honour, Blanca Rosa Quintero, with “Contigo” (With You), by Dani and Diana Mena, representing Arona Town Hall.

In addition, several councillors from this capital City Council and representatives from other municipalities on the island were present at this event, in a show that has become, year after year, a draw and meeting point for most senior associations and clubs from all over Tenerife. As for attendance, a huge number of people, mainly elderly people from all corners of Tenerife, made the evening a place of reunion and coexistence at the The Tenerife International Centre for Trade Fairs and Congresses to witness the show, which lasted two and a half hours, under the direction of Daniel Pages and hosted by Victorio Pérez, in a contest that included musical performances by Pepe Benavente and Lucrecia, and with the collaboration of Panchita and Servando from the Canarian Television program “En otra Clave”.

The jury of the Gala was made up of Cristo Rodríguez Torres, clothing, fashion and leather technician; Rita Calero Cordobés, director of the magazine “Más Mujer” and promoter of the Más Mujer awards; Anamig Francis Amador, costume designer; Marta González Modino, presenter of “Buenos Días, Canarias”, from Canarian Television; Gregorio Arteaga Arteaga, designer and master craftsman of the Carnival; Ruth Benasayag Lecuona, director of the School of Performing Arts “Escuela Lecuona”, psychologist and actress, and María Elena González Ramírez, window dressing technician and Carnival designer.

The Gala served as a framework for the celebration of the Festival of Senior Citizens' Groups, which this year included the participation of the Tegueste Senior Citizens' Association, Con Nuestra Gente Chincanayros, the Antón Guanche Senior Citizens' Association, Rondalla Las Nieves, Volcanes del Teide, Monte Nevado, Las Incansables de Icod and Mayores del 2000, in that order.

Televisión Canaria broadcast the show live for the entire archipelago.

María Julia Bello, elegida Reina de los Mayores del Carnaval de Santa Cruz

María Julia Bello García, Reina de los Mayores del carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, article includes photos of the winner, along with those of her court, plus all of the candidates who entered and a gallery of images from the gala.

VIDEO: Reina de los Mayores del carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Junior Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz 2025

2025-02-18T17:58:00.002+00:00

Camila Dorta Díaz, Junior Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz 2025

Santa Cruz de Tenerife has elected the first of its carnival queens, as Camila Dorta Díaz was chosen on Sunday (16 February) as the Junior Queen of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival 2025, during the gala directed by Daniel Pagés, held at the Tenerife International Centre for Trade Fairs and Congresses. Her costume, entitled “Tritsch ¿Tocamos? o Trastsh ¿Croamos?” (Tritsch Shall we play? or Trastsh Shall we croak?), designed by Santi Castro, representing Icadepro, managed to win the royal sceptre that she received from the hands of the mayor of Santa Cruz, José Manuel Bermúdez, accompanied by the outgoing queen, Sofía Rodríguez.

Making up her court, the first maid of honour was Cinthya Pérez, with “Con doña Tecla hemos topado” (With Mrs. Key we have stumbled upon), designed by Alexis Santana, and representing Grupo Campocha; Samantha Crespo is second maid of honour, with the design entitled “Atlántida” (Atlantis), designed by Noé González, and representing Asesousa, Construcciones Buzanada, and Infantilmónica Triqui Traquitos; As third maid of honour, Dafne Mendoza, with “¿Has visto alguna vez…?" (Have you ever seen…?), designed by Daniel Mena, and representing D2 Outfits; and the last of the maids of honour, the fourth, fell to Aliana Hernández, with the costume “Bienvenida, estamos encantados" (Welcome, we are delighted), which was designed by José Ángel Ramos, and representing Roots.

The jury that chose the Junior Queen of the Carnival and her court was made up of Teresa de Jesús Jerónimo Hernández, music teacher at the Conservatory; Juana María Brito de León, director of the news program Buenos Días Canarias on Televisión Canaria; Nuria Bilbao Aragón, art historian specialized in Carnival; Sobeida Gómez Rodríguez, model, actress, choreographer and dancer; Teresa Hernández Quesada, textile technician and dressmaker; Inés Herrera González, coordinator of the tailoring department of the Tenerife Auditorium; and Aron Morales Pérez, author of the 2024 carnival poster and design and illustration technician.

VIDEO: Santa Cruz de Tenerife ya tiene Reina Infantil del Carnaval 2025

La niña Camila Dorta, elegida Reina Infantil del Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2025

Camila Dorta Díaz with “Tritsch ¿Tocamos? o Trastsh ¿Croamos?” (Tritsch Shall we play? or Trastsh Shall we croak?), designed by Santi Castro, representing Icadepro.
Photos: Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife

The Moving Target of Los Cristianos Carnival

2025-02-01T13:40:00.010+00:00

Fantasy moving target that exists for real in Arona

Easter, Lent and thus the dates of carnival that precedes it, are movable feasts on the Christian Liturgical calendar. At Arona Council, this tips over into the realms of moving target and even outright fantasma.

I'd dearly wanted to come up with a "magic formula" for calculating the dates of carnival in Los Cristianos (as I've done with the other big carnivals on the island) - and given the demand for information and visits to posts about Los Cristianos Carnival - I think you'd like me to, too. So after translating the program back in 2009, I thought I'd go through the archives to see if a pattern would emerge that would allow us to arrive at a method to predict when these fiestas would take place each year, but, sadly, it didn't work.

The dates of Los Cristianos Carnival Main Parade through the years:

Taking the dates of Shrove Tuesday (the most reliable point in the carnival calendar) and the dates of the main parade of Los Cristianos Carnival (the event that is probably of most interest to visitors) over the previous few years, I plotted how many days there were between the two dates. In the distant past, the Los Cristianos carnaval main parade had always taken place 12 days after Shrove Tuesday. Some delay is understandable, as fairground attractions, food stalls, etc., have to be dismantled and moved from the north of the island and rebuilt in the south.

But then they went and mucked things up, by making it a week later, with the main parade 19 days after Shrove Tuesday instead. Even worse, it has since been moved forward by a further week to make a gap of 26 days and often as much as 33 days. New events are being added to their schedule every year; some of the events that used to take place mid-week have been moved to weekends and the length of the carnival is longer than it used to be, so it just isn't possible to predict.

The Gran Coso Apoteósico del Carnaval (The Main Parade) always happens on the final Sunday from around 4 pm from the Paloma Beach apartments in the Avda. Juan Carlos I to the Centro Cultural de Los Cristianos and the last carnival event tends to be the next day, on the Monday night: the Burial of the Sardine, followed by the Widow's Ball. You still need to know when it begins, let alone when it ends.

Arona Council published the dates for 2023, but originally, used the wrong year's calendar. So I contacted them and asked if they were sure, because I didn't think they meant to infer that their main parade could be on a Monday. Eventually, the penny dropped, they updated their calendar and confirmed the dates to me by email, which I published in good faith. In mid-February, I checked and found that it had been moved on a week.

Again for carnival 2024, I checked in late 2023 and was pleasantly surprised that there were dates published on the calendar of fiestas on their official council website and, once more in good faith, added those dates to my post and promoted them. Went back to the official council website calendar again just a couple of weeks before the carnival should start, which shouldn't even be necessary, and found that Arona had, once again, moved the whole thing on a week. Seething does not begin to cover it.

Of course many thousands of people who live in the area go to the carnival and the tourists that just happen to be around, may, possibly, accidentally get to hear about it, but surely, it's common sense that if people were able to plan in advance this would attract those who really want to be there who are more likely to contribute to the local economy? Are Arona really totally unaware that people might have booked flights, holidays, etc., on purpose to come to their carnival? People who, if they change the dates, will be disappointed, or out of pocket? Honestly, it makes me angry on your behalf, because I think it shows an arrogant level of contempt for visitors.

Still, dates and details for 2015 came just 2 days before it began, so I guess we should be thankful for any advance news! We try to update each year, but, as you can see, by the time we can be sure, it's always too late.

Tenerife Carnival Dates for 2025

2025-01-31T00:30:00.038+00:00

The 2025 Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival poster was designed by Nigerian artist REWA, the first African woman to design a poster for the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival.

UPDATE: Carnival events on the island are now finished for 2025. Take a look at the Tenerife Carnival Dates for 2026.

Searching for information on the Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife Carnival or Karneval Teneriffa 2025 then you've come to the right place.

It has been confirmed that Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival 2025 will take place between 31 January and 9 March and the theme of the carnival in 2025, chosen by online voting, will be 'Secrets of Africa'. After the inauguration on Friday, 31 January 2025 and the long list of contests (below), Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival 2025 in the streets is scheduled to begin on Friday, 28 February 2025, with the Opening Parade and run through to Sunday, 9 March 2025.

Friday, 31 January: Inauguration of Carnival 2025
Friday, 7 February: 1st Phase of the Junior Murgas Contest
Saturday, 8 February: 2nd Phase of the Junior Murgas Contest
Sunday, 9 February: Festival of Choreographed Groups
Monday, 10 February: 1st Phase of the Adult Murga Contest
Tuesday, 11 February: 2nd Phase of the Adult Murga Contest
Wednesday, 12 February: 3rd Phase of the Adult Murga Contest
Friday, 14 February: Final of the Murga Contests
Saturday, 15 February: Contest of Musical Groups
Sunday, 16 February: Gala Election of the Junior Carnival Queen
Wednesday, 19 February: Gala of the Senior Carnival Queen
Friday, 21 February: Comedy Song Contest
Saturday, 22 February: Comparsas Contest
Sunday, 23 February: Costume Contest and the Rondallas Contest
Tuesday, 25 February: Los Fregolinos Concert
Wednesday, 26 February: Gala Election of the Carnival Queen
Thursday, 27 February: Festival of Zarzuela
Friday, 28 February: Cabalgata Anunciadora (Opening Parade), from 7:30 pm in the Plaza de la República Dominicana, passing through Avenida de la Asunción, Ramón y Cajal, Galcerán, Plaza Weyler, Méndez Núñez, Pilar, Villalba Hervás, La Marina, ending on Avenida Francisco La Roche. (Via)
Saturday, 1 March: Rhythm and Harmony Comparsas [Photos]
Sunday, 2 March: Daytime Carnaval
Monday, 3 March: Carnaval Monday, includes Dragnaval 2025, Drag Queen Gala, from 9 pm in the Plaza de la Candelaria.
Shrove Tuesday, 4 March: ~~Carnival Main Parade~~ (SUSPENDED out of respect, owing to the death of a 30 year old man in the early hours during a brawl in Santa Cruz, as well as because of the bad weather)
Wednesday, 5 March: Burial of the Sardine [Photos]
Thursday, 6 March: Festival of Rondallas
Friday, 7 March: Children's Carnival Parade
Saturday, 8 March: Sabado de Piñata (Daytime Carnaval)
Sunday, 9 March: Domingo de Piñata. Exhibition and parade of vintage cars, end of carnival party and carnival closes with a firework display

Many of the events can be watched live on CarnavalTVC

Stages, dates and times of all the performances in the streets and square of the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2025 (in Spanish).

Ninety years ago: Miss Carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 1935

Thirty years ago: Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival Queen 1995

Twenty years ago: Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival Queen 2005

Ten years ago: Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival Queen 2015

Puerto de la Cruz Carnival 2025

Thursday 27 February - Election of the Carnival Queen
Saturday 1 March - Proclamatory Parade
Wednesday 5 March - Burial of the Sardine
Friday 7 March - Mascarita Ponte Tacón
~~Saturday 8 March~~ - Main Parade. Puerto de la Cruz had to pospone their main carnival parade owing to the poor weather forecast. The new date for the event is Saturday, 15 Mar 2025 at 16:00.

Los Gigantes Carnival 2025

The start of carnival in Los Gigantes is usually on the Friday ten days after Shrove Tuesday, which would be on Friday 14 March 2025. Their Carnival Main Parade is usually held in the afternoon of the Sunday, which would be 16 March 2025.

CONFIRMED: The Carnival in Los Gigantes (Santiago del Teide) in Tenerife, Spain, takes place from March 13 to March 23, 2025, and features a theme of "The 90s" with performances, parades, and activities for all ages. The full program, in English, is published here: Los Gigantes Carnival 2025: A Celebration of the Iconic 90s

Los Cristianos Carnival 2025

Carnaval Internacional de Los Cristianos 2025

All dates are liable to change beyond our control.

Public Holidays in Tenerife in 2025

2025-01-01T08:00:00.001+00:00

The Government of the Canary Islands has purportedly already approved the 2025 calendar and these are the holidays for the Canary Islands in 2025:

January 1 - Año Nuevo (New Year)
January 6 - Epifanía del Señor (Epiphany / Three Kings Day)
April 17 - Jueves Santo (Holy Thursday)
April 18 - Viernes Santo (Good Friday)
May 1 - Fiesta del Trabajo (Worker's Day)
May 30 - Día de Canarias (Canary Islands Day)
October 12 - Fiesta Nacional de España (National Day of Spain)
November 1 - Todos los Santos (All Saints)
December 6 - Día de la Constitución Española (Spanish Constitution)
December 8 - Inmaculada Concepción (Immaculate Conception)
December 25 - Natividad del Señor (Christmas Day)

In addition to the general holidays, island holidays corresponding to each island are added, which in Tenerife is usually February 2 - Virgen de la Candelaria (Candlemas), however, in 2025 that date already falls on a Sunday.

One usual date is missing from the list above, August 15 - Asunción de la Virgen (Assumption of the Virgin). We await confirmation on its fate.

Canarias estrena calendario laboral 2025

More information: Public holidays in the Canary Islands

Día de Finados (The Canarian Halloween)

2024-10-31T09:00:00.000+00:00

Halloween on the Islands of the Dogs? Maybe not.

On the eve of All Saints' Day, ancestral traditions are revived throughout the Canary Islands, but there's controversy: our customs versus imported customs, such as Halloween? All Saints' Day is known as Día de Finados - "finados" means "deceased" - known as Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico.

Día de Finados is celebrated in the archipelago from October 31 to November 2. The word "finados" which means "deceased" refers to a popular Canarian festival that was celebrated on the eves of All Saints' Day (Nov 1) and All Souls' Day (Nov 2). It was customary to worship the deceased and offer suffrages to the souls.

Formerly, for Fiesta de los Finaos, during the eve of this day, friends and family would gather to watch over the deceased while they told stories about those people, tales and jokes. The debates lasted into the night while they ate the typical fruits of the time: chestnuts, walnuts, apples from the country and sweets; accompanying such food with anise or ron miel (honey rum), depending on the area, to warm up between the icy temperatures [relatively] of the autumn season.

Currently the Finados are still celebrated in rural areas to the sound of timples and guitars, accompanied by drinks and abundant meals.

Another custom during these dates was the popular "Pan por Dios" (Bread for God), when bakers gave an additional loaf as a gift to thank their most loyal customers, to which they responded upon receiving it "May God increase it for you". This tradition, lost over time, is, in some places, trying to recover.

In certain towns in the north of Tenerife, such as San Juan de la Rambla or La Guancha, a ritual called “Los Santitos” (The Little Saints) is celebrated. On the morning of November 1, the youngest go around the neighbourhood with a basket in hand and knock, going door-to-door asking: "¿Hay Santitos?" (Are there any Santitos?), so inhabitants of the town offered them almonds, walnuts, dried figs or chestnuts. Today, nuts are mainly replaced by treats and sweets.

Another Canarian tradition at this time are the enrame de papel picado (cut paper decorations), a tradition that in some towns dates back to the 17th century and consisted of decorating religious buildings and the routes where the procession passes, with branches of various plants such as beech, basil, rosemary or palms. Over time, cut tissue paper began to be used in different shapes and colours. This tradition has lost strength but in some Canarian neighbourhoods such as Las Candias or La Luz in La Orotava it has begun to recover.

“El Halloween canario”: celebración del Día de Finados en Canarias

This article, Por qué no a 'Halloween' (Why not Halloween?) says that "the streets of the islands see more and more children each year in costumes of horrible witches, ghosts, monsters, black cats, vampires with sharpened teeth and widows with huge wigs ... with blood stained clothes, drawings of spiders' webs, lips and nails painted black. The dear little children of the Canary Islands become a part of the dismal antithesis of the colourful and fun Carnaval. They don't have much idea of why they are celebrating it, but by the look and the result, it can't be anything good." Opinion is that it is just a commercial event. (Ironic really when prices of flowers are higher for All Saints Day, even than those of Valentine's in Spain and the Canary Islands.) Worse they claim it's becoming linked to the occult, death and truly sinister things.

Pirates Attack Tenerife

2024-09-19T09:00:00.000+01:00

Drake, Blake, Jennings and Nelson all attacked Tenerife

On annual International Talk Like a Pirate Day (Sep 19), a Brit in Tenerife would do well to keep quiet, lest it be thought that they were a descendant of any of the many English pirates to have visited or attacked these shores.

During the 14th Century, pirates avoided Tenerife, since they heard hair-raising tales of the savagery of the inhabitants of the then, as yet, unconquered island, but almost as soon as the Spanish conquest was over, the island became a magnet for the many, mainly British, French and Dutch, pirates.

The Canary Islands, due to their geographical position, became a compulsory stopover for Spanish fleets on their way to and from the New World and because of their strategic location along these trade routes, Tenerife and its fellow Canary Islands, therefore, became sitting ducks for pirate attacks and foreign invasions. Galleons, which came back loaded with treasures from the American Continent, were often attacked by pirates protected by English and French crowns.

Robert Blake's flagship George at the battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1657
Image Charles Dixon [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Sir Francis Drake attacked Tenerife in 1586 and Gran Canaria in 1595.

In 1656/7 Robert Blake, the English pirate, tried to conquer Tenerife and annex it to the English kingdom. On April 20 that year, Blake totally destroyed a Spanish silver fleet of 16 ships at Santa Cruz Bay, Tenerife.

In 1706, Rear Admiral Sir John Jennings, with a fleet of 13 ships, tried to occupy Santa Cruz harbour, without success.

The most famous "pirate" to attack Tenerife was Horacio Nelson, whose failed attack on Santa Cruz on 25 July 1797 cost him his arm. Even British history claims that the admiral's intention was to destroy the ships, loaded with a large quantity of gold and silver, which were anchored in the port of Santa Cruz and would have bankrupted Spain. But if that's 'all' he wanted, why did he attempt a landing? Logic, therefore, sides with the Spanish version that believes he wanted to gain control of the island as a base for further activities.

Of course, it depends which side you're on whether you call these pirates and privateers, or historical icons and national heroes, but it's a testament to how tough the local people are that none succeeded in invading or taking the island.

Now it's mostly legless, rather than armless, English invaders in Tenerife.

But the constant cross-ocean naval movements between Spain and its American colonies meant ships laden with treasures and spices. Pirate flotillas began patrolling the stretch of ocean between the Azores and Canary Islands in the 16th century, and would continue to do so into the 17th, 18th and even 19th centuries. In their down time, these pirates would head for the islands where they robbed, burned down villages and killed islanders in search of wine and riches. This constant threat led to a militarization of the island.

Castillo de San Juan Bautista, popularly known as the Castillo Negro, in Santa Cruz.

Watch towers and castles were constructed in hopes of fending off bad-intentioned seafarers, villages were built out of sight from the coastline and, today you can still explore castles, forts and towers in Tenerife.

Among those best preserved is the San Juan Castle (or Castillo Negro) in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, although, sadly it isn't open to visitors. Underneath the city's Plaza de España are the remains of the San Cristóbal Castle, which can be visited, free. There are also the remains of the Castillo de Paso Alto and the ruined Castle of San Andrés or Tower of San Andrés.

To those, add a visit to the Casa de la Pólvora (Gunpowder House), situated near the Castillo de San Juan and and you'll have covered the locations in this Ruta de los Castillos (Guided Tour of the Castles), in Spanish anyway, organised by the Museum of History and Anthropology of Tenerife, which was suspended during the pandemic and does not seem to have been restarted.

And while you're in the area, well worth a visit is the Museo Histórico Militar de Canarias (Museum of Military History of the Canaries), located in the Fuerte de Almeyda, the old D-shaped artillery fort and former barracks.

Castillo de San Felipe, Puerto de la Cruz Diego Delso [CC BY-SA 3.0]

The Castillo de San Felipe, in Puerto de la Cruz, was also built to protect that town from attacks of pirates and corsairs. Built in 1634, it continued in its original use until 1878. Restored, it is now used for cultural events.

Castillo de San Miguel, Garachico

The Castillo de San Miguel in Garachico - the island's main port from the conquest, until the eruption of 1706 - was built between 1575 and 1577, during the reign of Phillip II. This Renaissance style fort, now property of the local council, is occasionally used for art exhibitions and contains a mini-museum of history of the area. Attractions of note include it's vaulted roofs and the toilet.

Casa Fuerte in Adeje - Image Adeje Town Hall

Many Crypto-Jews [Jews who secretly practiced their religion after being forced to convert to Christianity during the Spanish Inquisition] prospered when they cooperated with the local pirates who turned the archipelago into their base.

The village of Adeje, prey to frequent Arab attacks, was also sacked by Sir Francis Drake in 1586, so fortification has played an important part in the development of the town. The fortified hacienda, Casa Fuerte stands as testimony to the village's remarkable defensive structure. In 1555, Pedro de Ponte - son of Cristóbal de Ponte the Jewish merchant and banker from Genoa, who founded the town of Garachico - obtained permission from Spain to build the Casa Fuerte; a mixture of country house and fort, to protect his sugar-cane business from the incursions of British and French pirates on the coasts.

On several occasions, English corsair, John Hawkins, lived at the Casa Fuerte. Cousin of Sir Francis Drake and backed by Elizabeth I, Hawkins was the partner of Pedro de Ponte in the slave trade with America. One of the most flamboyant figures of the Elizabethan Age, having left his mark as a slave trader, privateer, rear admiral, double agent and noted shipbuilder, Hawkins made plans with his friends in the Canaries to break into the slave trade in Guinea. Pedro de Ponte would help provide the fleet with water and supplies, make necessary arrangements with merchants in the Indies, and find a skilled pilot to handle navigation. Hawkins would provide the ships and the capital.

The last member of the Ponte family to live in the Casa Fuerte was Marqués Don Domingo José de Herrera y Ayala, who died in 1766. The Casa Fuerte has now been opened to the public. In 2007, Adeje council announced that it was in process of rescuing and digitizing its historic archives, documenting the history of the area between 1445 and 1931. The 86 meters worth of documents from the Casa Fuerte: more than 17,000 files and more than a million folio pages, must surely shed some fascinating new light on the history of, not only Adeje, but also of the island of Tenerife, as well as those of the islands of La Gomera and El Hierro during the 15th to 20th Centuries. And now Adeje Council has begun the expropriation of the Casa Fuerte for its rescue from ruin.

Plaza de Santo Domingo and Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán in La Laguna
Image Diego Delso [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Tomb of Amaro Pargo in the Church of
Santo Domingo de Guzmán in La Laguna

The tombstone of Amaro Pargo - one of the most renowned corsairs of the Golden Age of Piracy - in the Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán in San Cristóbal de La Laguna bears the unmistakable trademark of piracy: an engraved a skull and crossbones.

The most significant attack on Gran Canaria took place in 1599, when the Dutch Admiral Pieter van der Does attacked the capital, Las Palmas, apparently with 74 ships, 12,000 men (the city had 3,500 of the island of Gran Canaria's 8,545 inhabitants) and 150 landing craft. Despite this, the attack was unsuccessful.

Santa Cruz de La Palma too has a rich seafaring history. Founded by Alonso Fernández de Lugo on 3rd May 1493, from that time onwards, became home to Spanish, Flemish, English and Portuguese merchants and a target for pirates including those led by Françoise Le Clerc (known as Peg Leg) who, in 1553, pillaged and destroyed the town.

Protected by too small a garrison, Lanzarote's inhabitants were decimated, for centuries, by the relentless attacks of pirates who were slave-hunters. In the 17th century, pirates raided the island and took 1,000 inhabitants into slavery from the Cueva de los Verdes.

The island of Fuerteventura was once a favourite haunt for pirates and their legacy for divers are some great wreaks to explore.

So, if you're in the Canary Islands on Sep 19, don't Talk Like a Pirate.

Other sources:
History of Lanzarote
Canary Islands From Wikipedia
History of Tenerife: Spanish Conquest
Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Historic City and Capital of the Spanish Province
Historia: Navegación: Sir John Hawkins (1532-1595)
Sir Francis Drake The Queen's Pirate
Historia: Sir Francis Drake (1543-1596)
Tenerife Island: Some information
Ataque de Robert Blake a Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Ataque de John Genings a Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Santa Cruz de Tenerife travel guide - Wikitravel
The Jews of the Canary Islands

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival Queen 2024

2024-03-18T15:31:00.003+00:00

Corina Mrazek González, Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2024
More images from the Gala de la Reina del Carnaval

2024 Carnival Poster

Santa Cruz de Tenerife chose it's new Carnival Queen for 2024 at the Gala which took place at the Tenerife International Centre for Trade Fairs and Congresses on the evening of Wednesday, 7 Feb 2024, ahead of carnival taking to the streets on Friday, 9 Feb 2024. Corina Mrazek González was elected queen, in a design by Santi Castro - who won for the third consecutive year - entitled El Mundo (The World), representing Centro Comercial Añaza-Carrefour (Añaza Shopping Centre).

Her court was made up as follows:

1st Maid of Honour: Lucía Hernández Alonso, with the fantasy El nacimiento de Venus (The Birth of Venus), designed by Alexis Santana, representing McDonald's and El Día-La Opinión de Tenerife
2nd Maid of Honour: Ankirian Idariana Marcano Cartagena, with Euforia, by Jorge González Santana, representing Arona Council
3rd Maid of Honour: Nancy González Bethencor, with the design Juana de Arco (Joan of Arc), by Juan Carlos Armas, and representing Dormitorum and El Gusto Por El Vino
4th Maid of Honour: Rosalva Morales Benítez, with the fantasy Zibá, by Cristian Santana, and representing Repsol Grupo González Canarias

The Queen and her court did not disappoint the 5,000 people gathered for the gala with spectacular designs that came to life on a large stage dedicated to television. The mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, together with the Queen of 2023, Adriana Peña, presented the sceptre to the new sovereign, while the Councillor of Fiestas, Javier Caraballero, awarded the maids of honour.

The gala had a great opening, with almost a thousand people on stage, led by the actor and comedian Aarón Gómez, who took the spectators through a Broadway-style musical tour, in which there was no shortage of nods to emblematic television programs. Memories in full colour that gave way to the masters of ceremony, Eloísa González and Elvis Sanfiel, who introduced the members of the jury.

Faces among which Bárbara Rey, actress and presenter, stood out; Arón Morales, illustrator and winner of the 2024 Carnival Poster; Héctor León, film and theatre costume designer; Alberto Dugarte, director of makeup, film and television hairdressing; Alejandro Tosco, graduate in Fine Arts and president of the Círculo de Bellas Artes de Tenerife; Patricia Yurena Rodríguez, Miss Spain 2008; Nieves Bravo, actress of the program En Otra Clave on Canarian Television; Desirée Hernández, presenter of the program 25 Grados on Canarian Television; Marlene Mourreau, actress and vedette; Jorge Moreno, journalist for the Telecinco program Fiesta; Tania Betancor, director of the Tania Betancor Clinic, and Roberto Herrera, director of the Cerca de Ti program on TVE in the Canary Islands.

Corina Mrazek, Reina del Carnaval 2024 de Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Images: 2024 | Gala de la Reina del Carnaval

Galería de Imágenes (Gallery of images from Carnival 2024)

Gala Reina Adulta | S/C de Tenerife 2024 (Full Carnival Queen Gala)

Cabalgata Anunciadora Carnaval | S/C de Tenerife 2024 (Opening Parade)

Ritmo y Armonia | S/C de Tenerife 2024 (Rhythm and Harmony Comparsas)

Coso Apoteosis | S/C de Tenerife 2024 (Carnival Main Parade)

VIDEO: Santa Cruz de Tenerife elige a su reina, Corina Mrazek González

Senior Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz 2024

2024-02-01T17:22:00.014+00:00

María Isabel García García is Senior Carnival Queen 2024
Photo: Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife

María Isabel García García was chosen as the Queen of the Senior Citizens of Santa Cruz Carnival 2024, during the Gala held at The Tenerife International Centre for Trade Fairs and Congresses on Wednesday (31 Jan), and in which eight candidates took part. Her costume entitled, "Marzo del 33" (March of 33), a work by Dani Mena, the winner represents the Tourist Board of Arona City Council.

The court of honour was completed by María Teresa Antonia Lavers Pérez, with "Parábola de Amor" (Parable of Love), designed by Juliana Serrano and representing the Puerto de la Cruz City Council; María del Carmen Díaz Miranda, with "Frenesí" (Frenzy), designed by Antonio Santos and representing Cuchi Transport and Cranes; María Mercedes Hernández González, with "Quiéreme" (Love me), designed by the Cultural Association of the Nira Carnival and representing Gestión y Servicios Belvedere Fran y Rosi Autobar; and fourth maid of honour Mercedes Hernández García, with the fantasy "Encanto" (Charm), designed by Alfonso Baute and representing the Town Hall of La Villa de La Orotava.

A total of 3,500 spectators came to see the show, which lasted two and a half hours. Under the direction of Daniel Pages and hosted by Petite Lorena and David García, the Gala included musical performances by Pepe Benavente and Azúcar Moreno.

The jury was made up of María Luisa González Álvarez, IASS staff and former photographer of the newspaper for seniors Ansina; Maria José Cámara Cabeza, presenter and commentator on Canarias Radio; Beatriz Galván de la Rosa, textile designer and co-founder of the Tipomedia Design Studio; Héctor Iván Díaz García (Iván Retamas), illustrator; and Paula Plaza Moreno, PhD in Fine Arts and teacher.

The Gala served as a framework for the celebration of the Festival of Senior Citizens' Groups, which this year included the participation of Monte Nevado, Rondalla Las Nieves, the Tegueste Senior Citizens' Association, the Antón Guanche Senior Citizens' Association, the Padre Anchieta Pensioners' Home, the SCI Acamán Hospital Sisters, Con Nuestra Gente Chincanayros, Volcanes del Teide, Mayores del 2000 and Las Incansables de Icod.

Televisión Canaria broadcast the show live for the entire Archipelago.

María Isabel García García es Reina de los Mayores del Carnaval de Santa Cruz

María Isabel García García, reina de los Mayores del Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, with photos and videos of the winner, her court and the other entrants.

VIDEO: María Isabel García, Reina de los Mayores 2024