The sardine on the way to its funeral 6 March 2019
Burial of the Sardine
What more can be said about the Burial of the Sardine, which this year takes place on Wednesday 26 February 2020. It has already been described as blasphemous, rude, pornographic. All true. Surreal is applicable, but even if you put these all together and times whatever level of weirdness you imagined by a thousand, you'd still come nowhere near. And yet it was as safe, friendly and accessible as any other night at carnival (and a whole lot more so than any average Saturday night in a British town.)
(Right) just a few regular guys on 'boys night out' at the Burial of the Sardine in Santa Cruz.
Oh and you'll encounter people with seriously and hilariously impaired judgement. I've no idea what they were on, but impaired enough to come up to this dodgy character (left), request photos with him like he was some sort of tourist attraction and ask "¿Es de verdad?" (Is he for real?) I kid you not. No boys and girls, this 'nun' is my husband in a cheap ebay fancy dress. It did add to my amusement for the night. We were able to catch up with my friend Lee de Caires, better known by most for ¡Qué Gran Viaje! - see video below - but alas I didn't stay for the sardine's cremation as I had nasty flu. At least that gives me a good excuse to go back another year, doesn't it?
A day off on Thursday and, on Friday, the final, Piñata Weekend of carnival begins.
Coso Infantil 2019
Coso Infantil (Kids' Carnival Parade)
This year the Coso Infantil (Kids' Carnival Parade) takes place on Friday 28 February 2020 from 6 pm. The procession leaves from the Parque García Sanabria and the route takes it along the streets of Pilar, Villalba Hervás and La Marina.
If you just want to dip your toe into carnival waters and are not quite ready for the big parades or hedonistic all-nighters, or you have kids yourself, then this is the parade for you. See all of the junior carnival queens and a plethora of the small people in the cutest costumes. The Children's Parade opens the final, piñata weekend of carnival.
The second Carnaval de Día (Daytime Carnival) takes place on Saturday 29 February 2020. This is the bigger of the two, with bigger names in the lineup of artists. Last year's event with Orishas and Juan Luis Guerra broke all carnival attendance records.
This year there is a change of route: the cars will meet, from 10:00 am, as usual in the García Sanabria Park, with entrance through Méndez Núñez Street. The departure is scheduled at 12:00 hours through the same entrance, to go along Doctor José Navieras street, Rambla de Santa Cruz to the crossing of the Comandancia de Marina, go up to the roundabout of Las Asunciones, go down San Street Sebastián to La Salle, cross the Galcerán bridge, go through Weyler and Méndez Núñez squares to Las Flores clock, go down El Pilar street, Villalba Hervás and La Marina to Francisco La Roche avenue, pass through the Cabildo, Correos and Casino de Tenerife and end up parking on that avenue. The events will end with lunch at the Real Casino de Tenerife.
Many Santa Cruz carnival events are televised via RTVE or RTVC, locally, nationally and internationally or may be found on the CarnavalTVC Youtube channel.
All events are liable to change beyond our control.
Floats heralding the approaching parade on Tuesday 5 March 2019
The Coso Apoteosis (Carnival's Main Parade) is going ahead this afternoon, Tuesday, February 25 and will bring carnival rhythm to the Avenidas Francisco La Roche and Marítima from 4 pm. The parade will include the carnival groups; rondallas, comparsas, murgas, etc., and will allow attendees to enjoy the costumes of the three Carnival Queens of 2020. Organisers will remain vigilant, continually assessing the weather and safety conditions in case it's necessary to take any protective measures.
The parade will begin with the winning floats from the contest held during the Opening Parade last Friday. They will be joined by the three classified in the decorated car contest. From there the multicolored snake will be headed by the popular Afilarmónica Nifú Nifá and then give way to a parade that has become one of the island's big tourist claims.
The City Council of the capital of Tenerife will install a total of 7,500 chairs along the route for the audience. In addition, it can be followed live through RTV Canaria.
All events are liable to change beyond our control.
The Afilarmónica Nifú Nifá at the head of the Carnival Parade on Tuesday 5 March 2019
The Afilarmónica Nifú Nifá (fondly known as La Fufa) is a carnival institution in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Whilst the order that queens and the various groups go out in the various parades is determined by their placing in the various contests in the run up to carnival in the street, La Fufa always head up the parades, owing to their position of seniority.
History of the Afilarmónica Nifú Nifá
In 1917 a chirigota from Cádiz participated in the carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife for the first time. They were sailors from the gunboat “Laya” of the Spanish Navy and that planted the seed, so that in the decade of the nineteen-twenties the first murga was born in Santa Cruz, named "El Flaco". It disappeared in 1936, when the Civil War broke out.
After the Civil War and as the carnival was celebrated with some tolerance by local authorities, in 1951 a group of friends formed a “murga” (among them the founder and director of the Afilarmónica NiFú-NiFá, Enrique González Betancourt (1924-2010) - who was known as 'the father of the murgas'), which at that time had no name; they made the musical instruments themselves with items such as a sardine barrel and iron plates, the rest of the instruments (trumpets, saxophones, ...) were made of cardboard.
A few months before the 1954 carnival, the group met to organize better; chosing a name for their murga, they decided to name it an "Afilarmónica". They wore a "circus musicians" costume with huge false mustaches, so they decided that the full name would be "Afilarmónica los Mustatos". However, when everything was ready, an order from the Civil Governor of the province, Arias Navarro, prohibited the celebration of carnivals.
Nevertheless, they performed after the dates of the carnival in the capital of Tenerife (at an artistic festival, a parade of the festivities of a neighborhood of Santa Cruz, and a party in honor of General Rodrigo, in the Círculo de Amistad XII de Enero (Circle of Friendship XII of January), where they were recriminated by the then Civil Governor).
Although the number of members reduced, the group continued rehearsing every year, but without performing in public when the dates of the carnival arrived, until in 1961, when they returned to meet the streets, already with their current name.
Afilarmónica NiFú-NiFá
In 1961, when they were about to go out on the street, a man appeared in the rehearsal room. When he saw that the name of the murga on the drum was that of his company, he got angry and demanded that it be removed immediately, telling the group that the name itself was nifú-nifá (neither here nor there / of no importance or relevance), but that the company was very serious and it was not necessary to confuse it with the carnival.
Which is how the current name emerged, that of Afilarmónica NiFú-NiFá.
In that same year, with only one day left until the end of the carnival celebrations, the city council realised, after discussion with the Provincial Delegation of Information and Tourism, that there were several murgas parading through the streets, so they set up the first contest of murgas, which was held in the Plaza del Príncipe, with a total of five murgas participating. In addition to the Fufa were: the murga of “El Chucho” of Valleseco, the murga “Marte”, the murga “La Silenciosa” of Tacoronte and the murga "Pepe". The winner was the Afilarmónica NiFú-NiFá, making them the winners of the First Prize of the First Murga Contest of the First Winter Festival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
In 1962 the murgas contest was held in the Santa Cruz Bullring. For the second time, La Fufa won the contest and this was repeated in the following years: (1963, 1964 and 1965).
In 1966, the then veteran Afilarmónica, made the decision to go to the contest but participated without competing for the awards, a decision that has remained ever since. It was also in 1966, when they first released the Cubanito, a song that remains in their repertoire year after year and has become something of a carnival hymn.
Comparsa Los Cariocas won the first prize in the Rhythm and Harmony contest held in the capital of Tenerife last night. In addition, the formation from Valleseco also obtained, unanimously, the award for best standard. In Interpretation, Los Joroperos were second and Tropicana, third. Bahía Bahitiare were highly commended.
The contest was the last carnival event that went ahead yesterday, before the rest of the night's activities were cancelled from midnight, for safety, due to the high winds. Large screens, sound and light equipment, etc., had to be removed from staging. The winds also prevented the Carnival Queen and her court from taking part in the Rhythm & Harmony event, as their large costumes would have been so much more vulnerable.
The Canaries registered winds of up to 160 kmph during the night - that was at Izaña on Mount Teide - but still as much as 95 kmph at the Tenerife Sur Airport. Reina Sofía and Los Rodeos airports, in the south and north of Tenerife, respectively, are not accepting flights from outside the islands due to the lack of visibility caused by the calima, AENA sources reported Saturday. Tenerife North airport is operational for inter-island flights. National and international flights are able to leave Tenerife airports at the moment.
After a meeting at 7 am this morning with police and technical bods from the town hall, it has been decided to go on with the Daytime Carnival events planned for today in Santa Cruz. There may be some delays as staging is rebuild, but events will go ahead.
Tropicana, Los Rumberos, Danzarines Canarios, Bahía Bahitiare, Los Cariocas, Los Tabajares and Los Joroperos are the seven comparsas that will take part in tonight's Ritmo y Armonía (Rhythm & Harmony) contest on the Avenida de Anaga in Santa Cruz de Tenerife from around 9 pm. The contest will also count on the presence of the Carnival Queen, Sara Cruz Teja, and her court of four Maids of Honour, as well as others of the contestants who took part in last Wednesday's gala. If you aren't going to Santa Cruz, Televisión Canaria will be broadcasting the contest from 9:15 pm and you should be able to watch it live via the CarnavalTVC Youtube channel.
The theme of Los Gigantes Carnival 2020, which takes place between 6 March and 14 March, is Las mil y una noches (One Thousand and One Nights), (coincidentally, the theme in Santa Cruz 25 years ago), so you can submerge yourself in the story of Sherezade or the adventures of Aladin and his magic lamp. Mayor of Santiago del Teide, Emilio Navarro, has today presented the program for the fiestas, saying that, "Every year we try to improve different aspects of our carnival and integrate different groups." Among measures being introduced this year are: areas in the square during the galas so that people with disabilities can enjoy it; sign language interpreters; information on gender-based violence, a commitment to sustainability with refillable cups made of recycled material and controlled fireworks to avoid loud noises and big shocks.
Los Gigantes Carnival 2020 Program
Friday March 06
21:30 hrs: Gala Election of the Carnival Queen with performances of Comparsa Los Joroperos comparsa and Káren Méndez.
23:00 hrs: Great carnival dance with DJ 8smille, Ray Castellano and the TRB Mussically Band.
Saturday March 07
11:00 hrs: Carnival ludoparque (Sports activities?)
11:30 hrs: Carnacan Carnavalero. Carnival parade for pets.
17:30 hrs: Gala for the Election to the Junior Carnival Queen, with participation from local coreographic groups and Ballet Epsylon.
23:00 hrs: Carnival dance with Arguayo Band, Orqestra Tropin and Grupo LD, during which, the winners of the best male and female indivudual costumes, couples, groups, etc, will be awarded.
* throughout the day comparasas will parade around various hotel complexes.
Sunday March 08
17:00 hrs: Coso del carnaval (main parade) with the participation of carnival groups, comparsas, floats with the queen and maids of honour.
On arrival in the plaza, verbena (open air dance) with the Orqestra Maquinaria Band.
Wednesday March 11
16:30 hrs: Carnival afternoon for the elderly, with performances by seniors groups from the municipality and Pepe Benavente.
Thursday March 12
21:00 hrs: Drag Gala for Diversity and Artistic Equality Los Gigantes 2020, afterwards performance by Grupo Contratiempo.
Friday March 13
18:00 hrs: Wake for the Sardine with musical performances of Old Dogs and Tío Franklin.
21:00 hrs: Burial of the Sardine. Afterwards, fireworks display by Hermanos Toste.
00.00 hrs: Widows' Ball with Orqestra Maraury.
Saturday March 14
Los Gigantes Daytime Carnival 2020
11:00 - 14:00 hrs: Cross Infantil Los Gigantes 2020
11:00 - 14:00 hrs: Children's carnival ludoparque.
14:00 hrs: DJ Musica Comercial
16:00 hrs: Grupo La Calle
18:00 hrs: La Mekánica by Tamarindos
20:00 hrs: Jadel
21.00 hrs: King Africa
22:00 hrs: Grupo La Calle
00:00 hrs: Combo Dominicano
Carnival will turn the town of La Orotava into 'La Villa de la Fantasia' (Fantasyland) in 2020. The town's carnival runs from Friday 21 February to Sunday 1 March and has a long and varied program of events (download PDF).
Friday 21
- Great children's parade that will depart from the Plaza del Quinto Centenario towards the Plaza Franchy Alfaro, crossing the streets Cantos Canarios, Calvario, San Agustín and will continue through Tomás Zerolo, the Estévez Sculptor Career Bridge to head again through Calvario to the Plaza Franchy Alfaro.
- 9:00 PM: Election Gala of the Carnival Queen and Maids of Honour of Carnival 2020. Show presented by the journalist Fran Peraza will feature performance by Sandra del Castillo and of all of the Orotava carnival groups: the Murgas Virgueritos, Pizzicatos, Hasty, Trinkos and Minivirgues; the Fanfarria Orotava Peña el Casco; Los Villeros and Rondalla Volcanes del Teide.
Saturday 22
- Between 12:00 and 22:00: Plaza del Ayuntamiento and Calle Carrera Escultor Estévez the Carnival of solidarity with the XIII Solidarity Pizzicatos, the IV Solidarity Exhibition and the V Carnavalera Race, with the benefits of the event being allocated to the Foundation Pichón Trail and Actay´s.
Sunday 23: Carnival in the street
- Exhibition of old photographs about the carnival in the Plaza de la Constitución.
- 11:00: Children's carnival with multiple activities such as costume contest, performances, disco, workshops, children's show, games, bouncy castles, gastronomic workshops, face painting, educational workshop on the importance of the Orotava carnival and others. There will be performances by the children's troupe Los Villeros and the murga Minivirgues.
- 16:30: From the Plaza del V Centenario, the parade of the carnival groups will depart in the direction of the Town Hall Square, crossing the streets Cantos Canarias, Calvario, San Agustín, Plaza de La Constitución, Tomás Zerolo and Carrera Escultor Estevez. Once the parade is finished, various performances will begin in the two main stages located in both places. So you can enjoy the performances of all groups of the Orotava carnival, as well as the musician Elicio and Mingo Show. The closing of the day will be in the Town Hall Square itself with the joint performance of the 101 Brass band and Arístides Moreno.
Monday 24: 'Do you know me mask?'
- 7:00 pm ‘Carnavalera Gastronomy’ will be held in the Plaza de la Constitución. In the same place and at the same time will begin the contest of masks for the whole family, both children, youth and adults. Then, at 8:00 p.m., the Parody Festival will take place and this carnival Monday will end with the "Masquerade Dance", starting at nine o'clock at night.
Tuesday 25: Apotheosis Tuesday
- Paseo del Valle of Vintage Cars and performance of the Fanota Orotava Peña el Casco.
- 17:00: From the Cruz del Teide, the Great Cosmic Apotheosis of the Carnival (Main Parade) will start with the participation of various groups of the island of Tenerife. The route will be the usual route through the Cruz del Teide area, Salazar streets, San Francisco, Estévez Sculptor and Calvario, until culminating in Plaza la Paz.
- 19:30: A great dance will take place in the Plaza de la Constitución enlivened by Orchestra Sabrosa.
Wednesday 26: grieving Wednesday
- 19:30: Crispín's duel and subsequent burial and burning [Ed: think that counts as belt and braces]. the funeral procession will depart from the Town Hall Square towards the Plaza del V Centenario where the burning will take place, and a concert by Salvapantallas.
Friday 28: Carnival Festival
- 19:15: Parade of the carnival groups that will depart from the Plaza de Candelaria del Lomo to the Plaza de San Juan Bautista where, at 22:00 hours, the Carnival Festival will be held.
Saturday 29: Pinata Dance
Piñata dance in the Plaza de San Juan Bautista, with the performances by Miguel Lorenzo and the Dinacord orchestras and the Banda Loca.
Sunday 1
- Festival of Rondallas of the Carnival. In the Cultural Society Liceo de Taoro.
During this first night in the open air, carnival-goers can enjoy Dj Brain, Orquesta Tropin, Orquesta Generación, Orquesta Malibú, Iván Cacú and his Orquesta, among others.
We do know that carnival will have one extra allnighter - making it the longest weekend of partying in the carnival's history - on Sunday night, because Monday 24 February has also been declared a holiday in the city (as is Shrove / Carnival Tuesday 25 February). Sunday February 23 will therefore be added to the traditional all night dances until the wee hours (usually until 5 or 6 am). These already include Friday February 21, Saturday February 22,Carnival Monday February 24, because Tuesday is always a holiday; and on Friday and Saturday of Piñata Weekend (February 29 and March 1). The rest of the days of the Carnival week in the street, including the Wednesday of the Burial of the Sardine, the music will be turned off at the latest at two in the morning.
Also for the first time there are to be extra bus services - up to 262,000 more seats - to connect all the Santa Cruz neighbourhoods with the city centre, starting from Friday 21 February for the Opening Parade and extending through until the Piñata Sunday.
And if all of this isn't enough for you, just about every square and bar in the city will have its own party, possibly with a kiosk and yet more all night loud music. All of the clubs, especially those along the Avenida Anaga, will have 'after parties', though how you can party after when the party already goes on until breakfast time, I'm really not sure.
Saturday, February 22, 2020
12:00 - 22:00 - Kid's Activities in the Plaza Isla de La Madera
17:30 - Shows on the different stages in the, Plazas del Príncipe and La Candelaria; and Francisco La Roche Avenue
21:00 - Contest of Comparsas Rhythm and Harmony. With the participation of all the comparsa groups - Francisco La Roche Avenue
22:30 - Dances with performances by large orchestras - Plazas del Príncipe and La Candelaria; and Francisco La Roche Avenue
Sunday, February 23, 2020
11:00 - Performance of the Afilarmónica Ni fú-Ni Fa - Plaza del Príncipe
12:00 - Performance of the Los Fregolinos Musical Lyric Group - Plaza del Príncipe
From 1:00 p.m. - Daytime Carnival - Performances in all stages until 8:00 p.m.
17:30 - Shows in the different scenarios - Plazas del Príncipe and La Candelaria; and Francisco La Roche Avenue
22:30 - Dances with performances by large orchestras - Plaza de La Candelaria
Monday, February 24, 2020
17:30 - Shows in the different stages - Plazas del Príncipe and La Candelaria; and Francisco La Roche Avenue
17:00 - Dances with performances by large orchestras - Plazas del Príncipe and La Candelaria; and Francisco La Roche Avenue
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
11:00 - Performance of the Afilarmónica Ni fú-Ni Fa - Plaza del Príncipe
12:00 - Performance of the Los Fregolinos Musical Lyric Group - Plaza del Príncipe
16:00 - Coso Apotheosis (Main Parade) - Avenues of Francisco La Roche y Marítima
20:00 - Dances with performances by great orchestras Plaza de La Candelaria
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
22:00 - Burial of the Sardine - Starting from Juan Pablo II Street, Méndez Núñez, El Pilar, Villalba Hervás, La Marina and ending at the Plaza de España. Cremation of the Sardine in the Avenida Marítima.
22:30 - Dances with performances by large orchestras - Plaza del Príncipe
Thursday, February 27, 2020
20:30 - Rondallas Festival - Guimerá Theater
Friday, February 28, 2020
18:00 - Coso Infantil (Children's Parade) - Starting from García Sanabria Park, crossing the streets of El Pilar, Villalba Hervás and La Marina.
23:30 - Dances with performances by large orchestras - Plazas del Príncipe and La Candelaria; and Francisco La Roche Avenue
Saturday, February 29, 2020
From 11: 00- 14:00 and from 17: 00- 20:00 Children's Carnival - Plaza Isla de La Madera
From 1:00 p.m. - Daytime Carnival. With performances on all stages until 8:00 p.m.
21:30 - Dances with performances by large orchestras - Plazas del Príncipe and La Candelaria; and Francisco La Roche Avenue
Sunday, March 1, 2020 (Piñata Sunday)
10:00 - Grand Concourse of Vintage Cars which gather at the García Sanabria Park. Starting at 12:00 hours, the tour of the city streets begins, ending at Francisco La Roche Avenue
11:00 - Performance of the Afilarmónica Ni fú-Ni Fa - Plaza del Príncipe
12:00 - Performance of the Lyric Group La Zarzuela of the Círculo de Amistad XII de Enero - Plaza del Príncipe
17:00 - Grand End of Carnival Party 2020 - Círculo de Amistad XII de Enero
18:00 - End of Party. Parade of carnival goups through the city center. Upon completion, a huge fireworks display - Plaza de La Candelaria
