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Tenerife Carnival Dates for 2022

Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2022 Carnival Poster

Final Schedule of the Santa Cruz Carnival

The definitive calendar of the Santa Cruz Carnival was made public at the end of March. The party will become the first great event of the post-COVID era in the Canary Islands, once all the restrictions imposed by the regional government have been lifted. The evolution of the pandemic has ended up proving the Santa Cruz City Council right in its decision to delay the celebration of the festival until June, which will allow for a Carnival of "contests, galas and [for the celebrations in the] street".

After the inauguration of Carnival 2022, on Friday, June 3 at 9:30 p.m. at the Tenerife International Centre for Trade Fairs and Congresses (Recinto Ferial), the Rondallas begin the calendar of competitions, on Saturday, June 4 at 5:00 p.m., in the emblematic Guimerá Theater stage. On Sunday, June 5, at the Recinto Ferial, the Choreographic Festival will begin at 5:00 p.m.

The Guimerá Theater will also host the Los Fregolinos concert on Tuesday, June 7 at 8:30 p.m. A day later, on Wednesday, June 8, also at 8:30 p.m., it will be the turn of the La Zarzuela Festival.

Continuing with the final calendar of the Santa Cruz Carnival 2022, during the second weekend of June, the Carnival Queen Election Gala will be held on Friday, June 10 at 9:30 p.m. On Saturday, June 11 at 9:00 p.m., it will be the turn for the Musical Groups Contest and on Sunday, June 12, starting at 5:00 p.m., it will be the Election Gala of the Senior Carnival Queen.

From Monday 13 to Wednesday 15 June, the 3 phases of the adult murgas will take place, starting at 9:00 p.m., with the final being held on Friday, June 17, also at 9:00 p.m. The Comparsas Contest will be on Saturday, June 18 at 9:00 p.m.; and to close the week, the Junior Carnival Queen Gala, which will be on Sunday, June 19 at 6:00 p.m. 4:30 p.m.

In the last week of June, the 3 phases of the children's murgas contest will take place, from Monday 20 to Wednesday 22 June, starting at 9:00 p.m.

Thursday, June 23, will be when, starting at 8:00 p.m., the Carnival in the street begins with a species of Burial of the Sardine. On Friday, June 24 at 7:00 p.m., the traditional Carnival Opening Parade will begin, which will run into the night time dances to the orchestras on the stages distributed throughout the streets of Santa Cruz. On Saturday, June 25, the Daytime Carnival will be held, which will continue until it merges with the second night of carnival in the streets.

On Sunday, June 26, and as the culmination of the 2022 carnival, the Daytime Carnival will be held, to conclude at 8:00 p.m. with the Rhythm and Harmony Contest on Anaga Avenue. A fireworks display will close this edition, the most anticipated in the history of the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.



Puerto de la Cruz Carnival

  • Thursday 24 February 2022 - Election of the Carnival Queen
  • Saturday 26 February 2022 - Proclamatory Parade
  • Wednesday 2 March 2022 - Burial of the Sardine
  • Friday 4 March 2022 - Men´s Marathon in High Heels
  • Saturday 5 March 2022 Sunday 6 March - Main Parade

More details: Puerto de la Cruz International Carnival 2022

Los Gigantes Carnival

Los Gigantes held carnival events in August 2022.

Garbage is part of the landscape in Buenavista

Playa del Fraile, Buenavista del Norte

The Telesforo Bravo Foundation discovered packed waste three meters high from the old landfill: Remains of bottles, food packages or toys are interspersed with stones and sand, forming a peculiar landscape in Buenavista. It is one of the main consequences of the human hand in the environment, visible in waste deposits (techno-fossils) mixed with natural elements, forming soils.

A succession of different strata in which alluvial material and hillside debris have "packed" about three meters of various waste from the old Buenavista landfill, active during the 40s to 80s of the 20th century. In those 40 years the predominant material was glass, not yet plastic and bottles and broken glass appear everywhere, in addition to clothes, coffee packages, toys ... "All human beings should have the opportunity to contemplate the trace that we left on this planet to try to minimize them and this is a good place ", explains the Foundation regarding the area, located specifically on the beach of El Fraile.

This impact is visible in different ways and one of them is in waste deposits
 (techno-fossils) mixed with natural elements, forming soils.

Despite the fact that the dumping of waste ceased a long time ago and a walkway was built over the landfill in 91, "the sea is undermining it, uncovering the waste and at high tide taking it into the water", so they opine that "action is urgent." In addition, the area adjoins the Teno Rural Park, which is also "suffering the arrival of this garbage by sea."

La basura ya forma parte del paisaje en Buenavista

Candelmas and the Virgin of Candelaria

Las Candelas candlelight procession on February 1st. Image: Ayuntamiento de Candelaria.

Virgen de Candelaria
Every year, 2 February, a Public Holiday in Tenerife, sees events in honour of the Virgen de la Candelaria (Virgin of Candelaria), the patron of the Canary Islands.

The Candelmas Procession on the night of 1 February, is when the lights of the town are switched off for worshippers to take part in the candlelit procession. In the middle of the 5th century the celebration was known as the "Festival of lights". It is not known when the candlelight processions related to this festival began, but they were already celebrated with solemnity in the 10th century.

In the afternoon the Eucharist is offered and then the procession of the Candelas (Candlelight Procession) is carried out, after being blessed, with the passage of the Virgin of Candelaria, escorted by a multitude of candles, through the streets of Obispo Pérez Cáceres and Los Princes, returning again to its altar, where the solemn acts of the Candelaria festivity will take place the next day.

The Fiesta de la Candelaria (Candlemas) begins with a Civic Procession with the transfer of the coat of arms of La Villa to the Basilica of Candelaria, presided over by the mayor of Candelaria, accompanied by the local Corporation.

Festive in Tenerife

The festival of La Candelaria, Las Candelas or La Luz (Candlemas) - despite not being the island's patron saint, which is the Virgen de Los Remedios - has been a holiday on the island of Tenerife since 2004. Hundreds of pilgrims attend the traditional procession of Las Candelas or on the day of the Virgin itself.

Although the arrival of pilgrims and faithful is lower than that of August 15, it's also a great day for Candelaria, a municipality that owes its name to that wood carving that found the Guanches on the beach of Chimisay, in Güímar. Since then, Candelaria has lived inextricably attached to this religious image, so much so that a good part of its commerce and restaurants are associated with the presence of the Patron Saint, who today will wear one of her spectacular, richly decorated light blue cloaks. The Virgin of Candelaria celebrates two great festivals (February 2 and August 15). It was from 1714, as a result of the death of five women at the summit in the cold, when the pilgrimage of the faithful was moved to August, according to the official chronicler of the municipality, Octavio Rodríguez.

Tenerife in February 2021

At the Cabalgata Anunciadora (Carnival Opening Parade) 2020

February 2 is a public holiday on the island of Tenerife for the Virgen de la Candelaria, the Patroness of the Canary Islands. However, events in Candelaria, as expected, have been restricted to the religious only with no procession. Forty days after Christmas Candelaria (Candlemas) is celebrated, which officially marks the end of the Christmas period and in the Vatican, Christmas decorations are kept until that day. As was traditional in Medieval and Tudor times, the Eve of Candlemas (1st February) was the day on which Christmas decorations and greenery were removed from people's homes and churches.

Carnival in Santa Cruz should have been taking place in the streets between Fri 12 Feb and Sun 21 Feb, but despite having been cancelled this yearmany districts have still opted for Carnival Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday), 16 February, as a holiday in their municipality; Arafo, Arico, Arona, Candelaria, El Rosario, El Sauzal, Fasnia, Granadilla, La Matanza, La Orotava, La Victoria, La Laguna, San Miguel, Santa Úrsula and Tacoronte. Despite there being nothing festive to celebrate, the reason cited was to not mess with the school calendar. 

The virtual carnival events17 February - 7 March, end with a television gala, ‘Santa Cruz, Corazón del Carnaval’ (Santa Cruz, Heart of Carnival). 

Puerto de la Cruz City Council has organized the most special edition of a carnival that will take place on social networks. The opening ceremony will be broadcast through YouTube and social networks on Friday, February 12, in addition to the presentation on Sunday, February 14 of the virtual costume contest, open to the participation of all citizens of Puerto. Another of the events that will be broadcast on social networks will be the presentation of carnival candidates on Friday, February 19.


Icod de Los Vinos Carnival 2021 runs until Saturday 20 FebruaryWe probably wouldn't have seen any of this carnival in the past, but this year coverage has mostly moved online and via Mírame TV Canarias

Saturday 13 Feb from 19:00hrs: Drags 2021, live from the Teatro-Cine Fajardo (with limited capacity) being streamed by Mírame TV.

Sunday 14 Feb at 19:00hrs: retransmission of the Carnival Queen Gala 2020 by Mirame TV.

Monday 15 Feb from 21:00hrs on Mirame TV, retransmissions of the Carnival Main Parade from 2020.

There are Almond Blossom Walks, but still no fiestas or romerías taking place.

Tenerife Land of Eternal Christmas

Sunbathing SantaDesert Island ChristmasScuba Diving SantaTropical Santa
Santa's Having a Whale of a TimeSurfing SantaWaterski SantaCamel Rodeo Santa
With a wide range of products in each design, click the pics (above) to see the full selections.