The dates of Carnival 2019 in Los Gigantes - from 15th to 23rd March 2019 - have been published, along with the announcement of the theme, El Olimpo de los Dioses (The Olympus of the Gods), as well as the presentation of this year's carnival poster.
There are no details yet indicating the schedule of events within those dates, but we will try to update as soon as information becomes available.
The comparsas give you the spirit of carnival and while the galas, the opening parade and the main parade are all well known events, one you may have missed out on is the Ritmo y Armonía (Rhythm and Harmony) Comparsas Contest that takes place on the Saturday night of carnival that next year will take place on Saturday, 2 March 2019.
Here is just one of the comparsas from carnival earlier this year.
Most Santa Cruz carnival events are televised via RTVE or RTVC, locally, nationally and internationally or recordings may be found on the CarnavalTVC Youtube channel.
All events are liable to change beyond our control.
In late January / February each year the Ruta de Almendros en Flor (Almond Flower Route) walk takes place as spring begins to blossom in Santiago del Teide.
The municipality of Arona reopens, once again, the calendar of romerías with the festivities in honor of San Antonio Abad, which will congregate thousands of people in the town on Sunday 13 January, in a celebration in which animals have a special role.
As we count down to carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2019, let's take a last look at one of the candidates for carnival queen in 2018 and her magnificent costume.
The year of 2019 begins with a program loaded with Romerías - pilgrimages and parties - in all municipalities and neighborhoods of Tenerife. And as in previous years, the folk from La Casa de Los Balcones have set to work to prepare the 2019 pilgrimage guide for Tenerife. In this article they have provided a complete list with dates already confirmed and others to be confirmed. We will try to make every effort to keep this list updated.
ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF ROMERÍAS
Romerías have always been linked to the sanctity of the Catholic religion; simple pilgrimages on foot, on cattle, or in carts, as people went from their homes, to the different towns of the islands to participate in the festivities there. Traveling difficult roads, the intention of the pilgrims was to fulfill a promise, a religious precept, go to the hermitage, parish or church to venerate the Saint or Virgin of the town. This did not prevent them from taking advantage of the occasion to have fun, socialize and even find a partner. When the walk could be done as a group, to the sound of timples, guitars and chácaras, it provided a very cheerful highlight in a society that lived hard work all year.
ROMERÍAS TODAY
Currently, Romerías are huge street parties that unite the pagan and the religious with jubilation, tradition, history, culture and identity. Branded by some, with disapproval, as something that has become just a 'show', the truth is that these pilgrimages are the ideal opportunity to feel and live Canary Islands' culture at its best.
Highlights of these festivities are the large influx of people of all ages; the huge cows or oxen that pull beautiful wooden carts; the folk songs and dances to the rhythm of popular parrandas. Emulating all the traditions of the countryside, the party-goers drink local wines accompanied by goat meat or beef. (Note the accurate description that the wine is accompanied by food, not the other way round!) Also livestock fairs or native craft markets often accompany these pilgrimages, where the most colorful aspects are, without doubt, the typical costumes or trajes de magos that each pilgrim wears on this special day. Some of these events include demonstrations of native sports such as arrastre de ganado (cattle dragging), juego del palo (Canarian stick fighting) or salto de pastor (literally, the shepherd's jump), or demonstrations of wheat threshing and milking, among others.
So we can say that the Romerías are an attempt to keep alive the religious, agricultural and livestock traditions of the municipalities, in which each stands out above the others for its very particular smells, tastes, sounds and typical costumes.
THE MOST IMPORTANT AND TRADITIONAL ROMERÍAS IN TENERIFE
The most important pilgrimages of Tenerife are those of San Isidro and Santa María de La Cabeza in La Orotava, San Benito Abad in La Laguna and San Marcos in Tegueste, and that of the Virgin of Candelaria, Patroness of the Canary Islands, without underestimating the rest, since they all enrich the cultural heritage.
CALENDAR OF ROMERÍAS IN TENERIFE
The Romería season begins in the month of January, with the celebration of San Antonio Abad in the municipalities of Arona, Los Realejos, Buenavista del Norte, La Orotava, Chío and Güímar. The Romería del Socorro in honor of the Virgen del Socorro, in the municipality of Güímar, is considered the oldest of the islands.
JANUARY
13/01/2019 - Pilgrimage in honor of San Antonio Abad - Tigaiga - Los Realejos
13/01/2019 - Pilgrimage in Honor of San Antonio Abad - Arona
13/01/2019 - San Antonio Abad (livestock fair-romería) - La Matanza
20/01/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Sebastián - Adeje
20/01/2019 - Pilgrimage in Honor to San Antonio Abad - Chío
27/01/2019 - Pilgrimage in Honor of Saint Anthony the Abbot and Our Lady of the Virgin of Hope - La Florida - La Orotava
27/01/2019 - Pilgrimage in honor of San Antonio Abad - Buenavista del Norte
27/01/2019 - Pilgrimage in Honor to San Antonio Abad - Güímar
FEBRUARY
MARCH
16/03/2019 - Pilgrimage in Honor to San José - Barranco Hondo (Candelaria)
APRIL
28/04/2019- Pilgrimage of San Marcos Evangelista - Tegueste.
MAY
01/05/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Paseo Romero - Tíncer, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
01/05/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage for the Fiesta de La Cruz - Barrio del Calvario, El Sauzal
01/05/2019 - Pilgrimage in honor of San Alejo - San Alejo, El Tanque
[still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage of the Sabina Alta - Fasnia
12/05/2019 - Pilgrimage in Honor to San Isidro - El Pico - Tejina, La Laguna
12/05/2019 - Pilgrimage of Our Lady of Fatima - Valle San Lorenzo, Arona
12/05/2019 - Pilgrimage in Honor to San Isidro - San Isidro, Granadilla de Abona
12/05/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Romería de San Matías - Taco - La Laguna
12/05/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Romería San Isidro - Arguayo - Santiago del Teide
13/05/2019 - Pilgrimage of the Virgen el Buen Viaje - Santa Cruz de Tenerife
15/05/2019 - Romería Chica - Los Realejos
16/05/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage In Honor of San Isidro and Santa María de La Cabeza - Sabina Alta, Fasnia
17/05/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in Honor to San Isidro - Guía de Isora
17/05/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in Honor of San Isidro Labrador - Ruigómez, El Tanque
17/05/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in Honor of Our Lady of Fatima - Valle San Lorenzo, Arona
17/05/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in Honor of San Isidro Labrador - El Chorrillo, El Rosario
17/05/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in honor of San Isidro Labrador - Valle de Guerra, La Laguna
19/05/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in honor of San Isidro and Santa María de la Cabeza - Valle de Guerra.
19/05/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in honor of San Isidro Labrador - El Chorrillo, El Rosario.
19/05/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in Honor to San Juan - Igueste, Candelaria
25/05/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in honor of San Isidro Labrador - La Corujera, Santa Úrsula
26/05/2019 - Pilgrimage of San Isidro Labrador - Los Realejos
26/05/2015 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in honor of San Isidro Labrador and Santa María de La Cabeza - Las Mercedes, La Laguna
Close to 30 [still to be confirmed] - Paseo Romero - Puerto de La Cruz
JUNE
02/06/2018 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage of San Antonio de Padua - Granadilla de Abona
02/06/2018 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage of San Isidro - Guamasa
08/06/2018 [still to be confirmed] - Romería Chica - La Orotava
09/06/2018 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage of San Isidro - La Orotava
09/06/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage of San Isidro Labrador - Barrio de La Mancha (Icod de Los Vinos)
07/06/2018 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage of Tacoronte
23/06/2018 [still to be confirmed] - Paseo Romero de San Juanito - Punta del Hidalgo
24/06/2018 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage of San Isidro - Las Carboneras
30/06/2018 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in honor of Ntra. Sra. Del Perpetuo Socorro - Barrio de San Antonio - La Matanza
30/06/2018 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in honor of Saint Brother Pedro of San José de Betancur - Llano del Moro - El Rosario
JULY
05/07/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in Honor to La Santa Cruz del Llano del Moro - Llano del Moro, El Rosario
07/07/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in honor of La Cruz and San Pedro - Las Aguas, San Juan de La Rambla
10/07/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Embarkation of the Virgen del Carmen - Puerto de la Cruz
14/07/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in honor of San Benito de Abad - La Laguna
15/07/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Paseo Romero with decorated floats (agricultural tractors) - Barrio de Ravelo - El Sauzal
21/07/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage of Santa Ana and San Joaquín- El Ortigal
28/07/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Romería de Las Nieves, Finca España - La Laguna
AUGUST
04/08/2019 - Pilgrimage in honor of San José Obrero and Santa Teresa de Jesús - Barrio de Aguamansa - La Orotava [pending confirmation]
04/08/2019 - Pilgrimage in Honor of the Virgin of Our Lady of La Esperanza - El Rosario
12/08/2018 [still to be confirmed] - Bajada de las Hayas - La Guancha
14/08/2019 - Pilgrimage of the Candelaria
15/08/2019 - Pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria
16/08/2019 - Pilgrimage in Honor to San Roque - Garachico
17/08/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in Honor to San Luis Rey - El Charco del Pino, Granadilla de Abona
17/08/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage of San Roque - Chiguergue (Guía de Isora)
18/08/2019 - Pilgrimage Barquera in honor of San Casiano - Las Galletas - Arona
24/08/2018 [still to be confirmed] - Corazones de Tejina (Hearts of Tejina) - Tejina
24/08/2019 - Pilgrimage in honor of San Agustín and later Baile de Magos - Arafo
25/08/2019 - Pilgrimage in honor of San Roque and San Agustín - Vilaflor
SEPTEMBER
01/09/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage Barquera in honor of San Blas - Los Abrigos, Granadilla de Abona
01/09/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in Honor to San Isidro - La Victoria de Acentejo
07/09/2019 - Bajada de la Virgen del Socorro - Güímar
08/09/2019 - Ascent of the Virgen del Socorro - Güimar
08/09/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Benijos, La Orotava
14/09/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in honor of San José - Las Medianías - San José, San Juan de La Rambla
04/09/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Romería de los Roques from the town of Fasnia to Los Roques
15/09/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Romería Barquera in Honor of Our Lady of Las Mercedes - El Médano, Granadilla de Abona.
21/09/2019 or 28/09/2019 [pending confirmation] - Celebration in Honor of Our Lady of Carmen - Las Eras
22/09/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in honor of San Miguel de Abona - San Miguel de Abona
OCTOBER
19/10/2019 [still to be confirmed] - Pilgrimage in Honor of Saint Ursula - Adeje
Motor2000 has published a provisional list of fixtures for the 2019 Rally season in Tenerife, which starts on 16 February with the Palo Blanco Hillclimb, taking place instead of the El Tanque Hillclimb that hasn't had sufficient participation in recent years.
There were many significant changes to the provisional schedule published by Motor2000 last year, so we'll make every attempt to update with confirmation of these fixtures, as soon as the Tenerife Rally Federation release the official schedule for this year.
Much awaited on the night of 5 January are the processions of Los Reyes (The Three Kings). Here is the coverage of last year's visit by Their Majesties to Santa Cruz.
A very special event to look forward to with the visit of Los Reyes Magos (The Three Kings) to Los Cristianos on Saturday 5 January 2019.
Events begin at 18:00 with the arrival of Their Majesties - by helicopter - to the exterior of the Cultural Centre in Los Cristianos. From 18:10 to 19:00 there will be a pre-procession show, where the Three Kings will be received by the local authorities and be presented with the magic keys to all of the houses of the children of the district. From 19:30 to 21:00 their Majesties, accompanied by their Royal Entourage, will make their procession around the town, then from 21:00 to 22:00 Their Majesties will collect the children's letters at the Casa del Mar on the esplanade by the port of Los Chrisianos.
