Carnival 2018 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife Closes

Daytime carnival crowd in Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Image Santa Cruz Town Hall)

With an estimated crowd of 200,000 people during the Daytime Carnival event of the final weekend of carnival 2018 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the organisers are calling it a record day that serves as a reminder of that famous Guinness record breaking attendance: "In 1987, singer Celia Cruz went to the Carnival Chicharrero with Billo's Caracas Boys; attended by 250,000 people, the concert was registered in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest gathering of people in an outdoor plaza to attend a concert. [Source]"

The Gala for the Selection of the Carnival Queen on Wednesday, 7th February was watched by 4.5 million viewers via the two Spanish and Canarian television channels, more than in previous years. This number was 'across the country', so that may not even include international and online viewers.

During the last night of the fiestas there was another decrease in the activity of the carnival field hospital, where just 88 patients were seen for various reasons, the most frequent being the excessive consumption of alcohol (in 23 cases, 10 of whom were minors). Last year on the equivalent night, 136 people had been treated. The most serious case was a male, found unconscious in the street with head and chest injuries. He was taken to the Hospital de la Candelaria and is in a critical state. The first aid post in the Plaza de España, run by volunteers, attended to 20 people with minor injuries. During the Daytime Carnival, just 55 people required treatment for minor ailments and for the effects of the excessive consumption of alcohol. Seven only required hospital treatment or x-rays.

Another nugget of data is that more than a million LED light bulbs had been installed in Santa Cruz as decorative carnival lighting. The Town Hall hopes this will produce savings of €10,000 over the use of traditional bulbs.

Today, the clean up operation began in Tenerife's capital, where council workers had already collected 241 tons of rubbish in the second third of carnival and used 1.6 million litres of treated water and 2,160 litres of cleaning products.

Meanwhile, in Puerto de la Cruz, some 30,000 spectators turned up to watch 441 blokes in drag in the annual Mascarita Ponte Tacón on Friday night and another 25,000 turned out to watch the climax of their carnival, the Main Carnival parade, which had started at 6pm this year, two hours later than is customary.

At a press conference this week in Santa Cruz, some more data has been released about the carnival that just closed in the city, which they are calling a record carnival with more participation and less incidents. 

Here's a quick list of what we discovered:

• More that a million people attended carnival in the streets of Santa Cruz
• 100,000 people took part in the various contests and parades
• There was a 14% increase in demand for the 600,000 public transport services 
• 528 tons of rubbish were collected during the 10 days
• There were less incidents at the carnival campaign hospital - 620 cases, 11% less than 2017
• 152,000 cruise passengers made a stop in Santa Cruz during carnival and spent a total of seven million euros between them, 15% more than in 2017
• Hotels registered record occupation reaching 95% at the weekends and 80% during the week
• On Shrove Tuesday, the day of the main parade, 11,000 tourists arrived in Santa Cruz in 200 coaches, spent 450,000 euros and bought all 1,600 seats in the stands. (Reports are one tour operator wants all of them in 2019.)
• Business sponsorship increased almost 100% to reach 600,000 Euros
• 12 million people visited the Santa Cruz carnival website
• Almost 11 million people followed carnival on Facebook
• Seats sold out for the Final of the Murga contests, the Carnival Queen Gala and other contests
• 50 million viewers watched something of the carnival on televison

Indeed, a fantastic result. Can't wait for 2019!

Carnaval récord en Santa Cruz: más participación, menos incidencias

The clean up crew (Image Santa Cruz Town Hall)

Weather disrupts 2018 carnival in Tenerife

Locals know that it always rains at some point during carnival week in Santa Cruz, but it's not often that the weather really messes with the timetable. Last night's Opening Parade in Santa Cruz was very slightly delayed in starting and not all of the carnival queens with their huge costumes joined the parade - newspaper Diario de Avisos describe this parade as "decaffeinated" - as it was missing these "vital elements", because the forecast gusts of wind were double the speed thought safe for them, according to the 'elf and safety guidelines. (They have guidelines?)

The cold is also mentioned as one of the "adverse" meteorological conditions that affected the parade last night. Yeah, about 16C+ of cold. We're still laughing.

The parade did go ahead and still drew a crowd of 78,000 people, it is reported and the same source said that during the first night of carnival only one person was detained and just 57 people were seen by the carnival first aid post.

Also owing to heavy wind and rain in Tenerife, the Gala for the Election of the Carnival Queen in Puerto de la Cruz, that had been scheduled for Thursday evening, had to be posponed. It is now programmed to take place tonight, Saturday, 10 February at 8pm. Further information is available (in English) from the Carnaval Internacional del Puerto de la Cruz website.

Tonight's Rhythm and Harmony Comparsas Contest in Santa Cruz de Tenerife appears, currently, to be expected to be going ahead as planned.

Rain is nowhere near as wet in Tenerife than it is elsewhere in the world (well, it dries quicker) and after the third Cuba Libre, you may even believe me, but if you're going out to party, here's where that ultra cheap costume made from a plastic rubbish sack might just be the the best choice you can make.

The forecast for Santa Cruz de Tenerife according to state meteorological agency, AEMET, for the next few days is for more rain - 100% probability tonight and 95% probability on Monday being the worst. The wind, however, which could present a greater risk for participants, is forecast at only 20kmph and there are no weather warnings. If the forecast is correct, the rain should clear up too by Tuesday afternoon, just in time for Carnival's Main Parade.

Cabalgata Anunciadora | SC de Tenerife 2018

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival Queen 2018

Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2018, Carmen Laura Lourido Pérez

Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 2018 was Carmen Laura Lourido Pérez, with "Renacida" (Reborn), designed by Jorge González Santana and representing FuenteAlta (bottled water).

In 2018, the court was made up of:

1. First Maid of Honour was Rocío Díaz Medina, with a costume entitled 'Belice' (Belize), designed by Santi Castro and representing Centro Comercial Añaza-Carrefour.
2. Second Maid of Honour was Ana Deisy Sabina García, with a costume entitled 'El secreto del firmamento' (The secret of the firmament), designed by Eduardo Martín and representing Centro Comercial Alcampo La Laguna.
3. Third Maid of Honour was Rosalía Barreto Suárez, with a costume entitled 'El Reino de los Trece Témpanos' (The Kingdom of the Thirteen Icebergs), designed by Daniel Pages and representing McDonald's and newspaper, La Opinión de Tenerife.
4. And Fourth Maid of Honour was Cathaysa Machado Hernández, with a costume entitled 'Yo disco, yo robot' (I disco, I robot), designed by Borja Abreu and representing rum producer, Ron La Indiana.

The theme of Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival in 2018 was "La Fantasía" (Fantasy). For the first time in the history of carnival, three women acted as masters of ceremony at the queen's gala: Laura Afonso, from Canarias Radio; Eloísa González, from Televisión Canaria, and Berta Collado, who has been linked to Antena 3, Cuatro and La Sexta. 

The stage was the largest built in the International Fairs and Congress Centre with more than 2,100 square meters. The gala began with the projection on the screens of a child who had found a book in an enchanted forest and lifted it from between the seats in the audience. The common thread of the introduction to the gala recreated a story, with projections of fairies, enchanted trees, unicorns, a waterfall of fire and a great virtual dragon, among other fantastic elements. 

This year new records were registered, with the participation of more than one million people and 12 million citizens who visited the official profiles of the carnival on social networks. Likewise, 50 million viewers at some point saw main events of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival through the various television channels.

• Junior Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz 2018
• Senior Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz 2018
• Weather disrupts 2018 carnival in Tenerife
• Tenerife Carnival Dates for 2018
• Carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2018 Closes

El Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2018 YA TIENE REINA

Senior Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz 2018

Marta Morales Paz, Senior Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz 2018

Marta Morales Paz was elected Senior Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz 2018, during the Gala in which 9 candidates took part. Dressed in the fantasy ‘Diosa Nivaria’ (Goddess Nivaria), the work of Cristian Santana, the winner represents the City Council of Güímar, Tic Tac Talleres and Pirotécnica La Candelaria.

The court of honor was completed with María del Carmen Cano Pérez, with the fantasy ‘La Estrella’ (The Star), designed by Antonio Santos and representing Macrobingo Estrella and Grupo AC; Carmen Rosa Amaral, with the fantasy ‘La Hechicera’ (The Sorceress), designed by Antonio Santos and on behalf of Espectáculos Bravo and Plataforma Vecinos de Tíncer; María Esther Encinoso Yanes, with the fantasy 'Realmente Mítica' (Really Mythical) with a design by Armony de la Rosa, Asociación Nira and representing Popo Import and the Los Realejos City Council and Evelina de la Fuente with the fantasy "Don't stop dreaming", with a design by Antonio Santos and representing Cafeteria Artadi Dance La Matanza and Restaurant El Cine de Los Cristianos.

Marta Morales Paz, nueva Reina de los Mayores del Carnaval de Santa Cruz

VIDEO: Gala elección Reina de los Mayores | S/C Tenerife 2018

Tenerife in February 2018

Santa Cruz Carnival 2018

On February 1st, the Eve of Candlemass, you should take down your Christmas decorations. Decorations have to be left up past Twelfth Night in Spain, otherwise they’d be gone before the main event - Los Reyes (The Three Kings) - on January 6th and you will often see decorations right through January, but also in British culture: "The eve of Candlemas was the day on which Christmas decorations of greenery were removed from people’s homes and churches."

February 2nd is an island-wide public holiday in honour of the patron of the Canary Islands: the Virgen de la Candelaria. The Fiesta de La Candelaria is held every February 2nd, coinciding with the celebration of Candlemass. In the town of Candelaria there is a program of religious events lasting several days.

Shrove Tuesday, February 13th will be a municipal public holiday in Adeje, Arafo, Arico, Arona, Candelaria, El Rosario, El Sauzal, Fasnia, Granadilla de Abona, Icod de los Vinos, La Matanza de Acentejo, La Orotava, La Victoria de Acentejo, Los Silos, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, San Miguel de Abona, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Santa Úrsula and Tacoronte for Carnival Tuesday. The main parade of the carnival in Santa Cruz takes place on February 13th, 2018.

Each year on February 15th, from 5 a.m., the doors of the Santa Catalina convent in La Laguna will be opened for the faithful and the curious to queue around the block for the chance to view the uncorrupted body of Sor María de Jesús (Sister Maria of Jesus) (1643 – 1731), popularly known as La Siervita.

In Granadilla de Abona, their Manga-themed carnival reaches its climax this weekend with highlights being the Main Parade at 5pm on Saturday, 24th February in the centre of the town of Granadilla along the Avenida Mencey de Abona to the Carpa Los Hinojeros, where later there will be dancing to the orchestras, Deliciosa and Acapulco. Then on Sunday, 25th February, beginning at 11am are the Daytime Carnival events taking place in the Plaza de El Médano, with a long list of artists headlined by Puerto Rican singer, Edwin Rivera. 

Programa de Actos del Carnaval 2018