For more information about the 2020 Carnival in Tenerife, visit this link. For more information about the 2020 Carnival in Las Palmas, visit this link. You don't have to go to Brazil to experience the Carnivals as they deserve. In fact, the one in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is considered the second most popular in the world, and the one in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is not far behind. In this article, we explain what you cannot miss this 2019:
Carnivals in Tenerife
Dates
This 2019, the Tenerife Carnivals will be held from Friday, February 1 to Sunday, March 10 (inclusive).
Program
With more than 30 days of festivities, it is easy to get lost in the program. These are some of the busiest days:
- Friday, February 1. The festivities begin with the Carnival Inauguration.
- Wednesday, February 27. The Carnival Queen is chosen in the traditional gala broadcast live on television.
- Friday, March 1. The Great Announcing Parade takes place, or what is the same, the first Great Daytime Carnival.
- Tuesday, March 5. Parade of the Apocalyptic Carnival Float.
- Wednesday, March 6 (Ash Wednesday). Burial of the Sardine parade.
- Saturday, March 9. Second Daytime Carnival.
If your trip does not coincide with any of these dates, don’t worry. There are daily street troupes and hundreds of musical proposals. From Caribbean rhythms to electronic music.
You should know
- There are two Carnivals in Tenerife: the official one, full of contests with a very marked agenda, and the street carnival, which unites all attendees in very long parades of color, music, and entertainment.
- The city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is twinned with the city of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
- The Tenerife Carnivals were declared an International Tourist Interest Festival in 1980 and aspire to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- The average weight of the carnival queens' costumes is 170 kilos! That is why most have wheels to facilitate their movement.
- In the Guinness Book of Records, the Tenerife Carnival has earned a page for gathering more than 200,000 people in an open-air dance.
Where to sleep
During Carnival, the best accommodations fill up quickly, so it is advisable to arrange where to stay in advance. By booking through our official website you will get the best guaranteed price at the Silken Atlántida Hotel in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 4*, located in the new commercial and financial center of the city, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.
Carnivals in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Dates
The 2019 edition of the Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria will be held from Friday, February 15 to Sunday, March 10.
Program
Every year, the entire program revolves around a specific theme decided through an online vote. This 2019, the chosen idea was “A Night in Rio.” Thus, sambas, batucadas, and above all lots of color will be the protagonists in the troupes inspired by “nature, birds, fruits, palm trees” and the “movies of Carmen Miranda,” as highlighted by the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Promotion Society.
Some of the most followed moments will be:
- The Drag Queen Gala and its Preselection.
- The Queen Gala.
- The Murgas Contest.
- The Canine Carnival.
- The Children's Carnival.
- The different contests: murgas, troupes, body makeup, or costumes…
- The daytime carnivals around Santa Catalina or the historic center of Vegueta, next to the large central stage that hosts the main events during those days.
You should know
- The Carnivals are the most popular festivities in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, a Festival of National Tourist Interest since March 2017.
- Designers, seamstresses, and artists work for months to create the costumes for the Drag Queen Gala and the Carnival Queen.
- The Grand Carnival Parade takes place on the last Saturday of the celebrations and follows a route of more than 7 km.
Where to sleep
More than half a million people gather every year in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to celebrate Carnival. From the recently opened Silken Saaj Las Palmas, we encourage you to book your accommodation now in an excellent location. You will be right on the front line of Playa de las Alcaravaneras, next to the Yacht Club, and just 6 minutes from Santa Catalina Park, where the main carnival events will take place.
