Corpus Christi Carpets

Día de las Alfombras 2007
Guinness World Record for the Largest Sand Painting; 859.42 square meters.

Every year on the "octava" (eighth day) of Corpus Christi - i.e. the following Thursday after the date of the religious feast - the northern Tenerife town of La Orotava celebrates its Día de las Alfombras (Carpet Day), when, since 1846, these carpets of sand and flowers have been made in the streets as a traditional part of the celebrations.

La Orotava families, many still with the same surnames since the 15th Century conquest of Tenerife, start making the flower carpets from the early hours of "carpet day."

The central sand carpet - created entirely using sand and soil from Teide National Park - created each year in the square in front of the town hall (pictured above) made the Guinness World Record for Largest Sand Painting; the 859.42 square meter "alfombra" or carpet of sand created in La Orotava in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain) in June 2007.

In the early evening the procession walks all over these ephemeral carpets and destroys them, so the "window of opportunity" to see them is very short. Don't miss them, because as works of art, they are breath-taking and for once I wish we had the ability to produce "smellyvision", because, if the sight of them is magnificent, then the aroma of tons of toasted plant material and the plethora of petals is close to hypnotic in itself.

Guide to the Corpus Christi Flower Carpets in La Orotava

Year	Corpus Christi	Día de las Alfombras
2010	3 June	10 June
2011	23 June	30 June
2012	7 June	14 June
2013	30 May	6 June
2014	19 June	26 June
2015	4 June	11 June
2016	26 May	2 June
2017	15 June	22 June
2018	31 May	7 June
2019	20 June	27 June
2020	11 June	18 June CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19
2021	3 June	10 June CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19
2022	16 June	23 June
2023	8 June	15 June
2024	30 May	7 June
2025	19 June	26 June
2026	4 June	11 June
2027	27 May	3 June
2028	15 June	22 June
2029	31 May	8 June
2030	20 June	27 June
2031	12 June	19 June
2032	27 May	3 June
2033	16 June	23 June
2034	8 June	15 June
2035	24 May	31 May
2036	12 June	19 June
2037	4 June	11 June
2038	24 June	1 July
2039	9 June	16 June
2040	31 May	8 June
2041	20 June	27 June
2042	5 June	12 June
2043	28 May	4 June
2044	16 June	23 June
2045	8 June	15 June
2046	24 May	31 May
2047	13 June	20 June
2048	4 June	11 June
2049	17 June	24 June
2050	9 June	16 June