Festivals & Traditions — Carnival and More

The Canary Islands are Spain's Fiesta Champions. Hardly a week goes by without a village festival, a procession, or a festival. The major events:

Carnival (February/March)

The Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the second-largest carnival in the world after Rio de Janeiro — and it is absolutely spectacular. For over two weeks, the capital transforms into a state of emergency: The Carnival Queen Gala is a mega-production with costumes weighing up to 200 kg and several meters high. The parades (Cabalgatas) draw hundreds of thousands to the streets, and at the “Entierro de la Sardina" (Burial of the Sardine) on the last day, a giant papier-mâché sardine is burned — a surreal spectacle with weeping widows (men in mourning attire).

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria also celebrates a massive carnival, which is among the largest in Europe. Here, the Drag Queen Gala is the highlight — an extravagant show that garners international attention.

Other Important Festivals

• Bajada de la Virgen (La Palma): Every five years (next: 2030) — one of Spain's most extraordinary folk festivals, featuring the “Danza de los Enanos" (Dance of the Dwarfs), where dancers perform in giant costumes
• Corpus Christi (La Orotava, Tenerife): The streets are covered with spectacular flower carpets and sand pictures — one of the most beautiful Corpus Christi celebrations in the world
• Fiesta del Charco (La Aldea, Gran Canaria): In September, locals jump into a natural pool to catch fish with their hands — a Guanche tradition that has survived for centuries
• Noche de San Juan (June 23): Midsummer night is celebrated on all beaches with bonfires, jumping over the flames, and midnight swimming
• Romería del Pino (Teror, Gran Canaria): On September 8 — the most important pilgrimage of Gran Canaria to the Virgen del Pino, with traditional costumes, ox carts, and Canarian music