If you’re looking to experience Carnival filled with Latin music and dance, but can’t make it all the way to Rio, look no further than the Canary Islands. While Carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is probably the most famous, and even considered by some as the second biggest in the world after Rio, Carnival in Las Palmas also offers a spectacular alternative in the neighbouring island of Gran Canaria.
Carnival is deep rooted in the history of Las Palmas, and can be traced back over five centuries. It really started to flourish in the nineteenth century, with the first floats and parades, before going underground to be disguised as “Winter Fiestas” during the years of dictatorship. From 1976 onwards, Carnival has been celebrated in its current format, with innovations in its structure and organisation evolving until today.
Bailando Journey got the chance to join in the month-long celebrations and review the 2019 Carnival, with this year’s theme as “One Night in Rio”. Here are my top eight highlights:
Local Carnival dance groups known as Comparsas spend the whole year preparing to compete for the winning prize in an annual contest full of colourful performances. The stage was brimming with feathers and sequins, mixing Samba, Salsa, Merengue and other dance styles, in line with the theme of the year—One Night in Rio. My personal favourite was the drag queen tribute to Salsa Queen Celia Cruz, and the title for 2019 was awarded to Kisamba, which has won for the third consecutive year. You can watch their incredible performance here.
Yes Queens—plural. One of the great things about the Las Palmas Carnival is that it strives to go beyond traditional conceptions of beauty, age or orientation. There are four different categories of Queens: the Carnival Queen, Drag Queen, Junior Queen and Grande Dame. 2019’s Carnival Queen Erika Echuaka Sebe, won the title for her ensemble named “Flying without Wings”. A second generation immigrant, she will proudly be representing las Palmas abroad. Drag Cuchi won the world-famous Drag Queen contest, which sells out almost immediately and has become a subject of discussion on social media all over the world. Luisa Lozano was awarded the title of Grand Dame—for women over 55—while Náyade Pérez Castro was crowned Junior Queen contest for children.
When I first arrived in Las Palmas, I could hear the sound of chanting from my room. It turned out that it was the Murgas. You could describe them as local street bands, but actually they are much more than that. A cross between poetry, musical comedy and a choir, the Murgas use their songs to bring attention to social struggles, politics and other issues, through humour and irony. During Carnival they compete in a Murgas contest dressed in colourful costumes. My personal favourite was the Freddie Mercury ensemble.
On Carnival Tuesday—also known as Mardi Gras—the 2019 Grand Parade took place over a stretch of 7km through the city and was attended by over 200,000 people. Every year, the parade features the Carnival Queens, Comparsas and Murgas, as well as different costume groups, and sponsor floats filled with local revellers partying in their best costumes. The streets surrounding the parade then turns into a huge party, especially around Santa Catalina Park where people dance in their costumes until the early hours.
With two stages, the Carnival offers performances by local pop stars, international artists, and this year even had a Marc Anthony tribute. The highlight for 2019 was the performance of Carlinhos Brown, considered an icon of Carnival culture all over the world. From Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, the singer and percussionist has been touring the world to promote a peaceful carnival that is inclusive of everyone. His powerful lyrics and unique engagement with the crowd have made him one of the most renowned figures in Brazilian music.
During the day, the streets are filled with people in costumes ranging from Freddie Mercury, superheroes, animals or avatars, creating a festive (and surreal) atmosphere not to be missed. People spend months preparing their outfits, and you’ll often see groups of friends in matching costumes (unicorns and parrots were popular this year). Street parties are especially loved by cross-dressers, where the open and tolerant environment allows anyone to dress up as whatever they want to be. Be prepared to see men with muscles dressed as Minnie Mouse or Pamela Anderson in her signature red Baywatch bathing suit. The main street parties are held on the two Saturdays before Carnival Tuesday (Mardi Gras) in the historic neighbourhoods of Vegueta and Triana, with many more activities happening in Santa Catalina park. second-generation street party alone was expecting 12,000-15,000 people. I’m not sure what the result was in the end, but it wasn’t just packed, it out of this world.
What could be more fun than Salsa in costumes? Local dance schools usually organize special workshops and events during Carnival where everyone shows up in costume. Paso a Paso—one of the best known dance schools in Las Palmas and Gran Canaria—hosted a Carnival salsa night at the Kopa Terrace, where after a Salsa and Bachata class to warm up, I got the chance to dance with Rod Stewart and Peter Pan. Aqui se Baila, another dance school in Las Palmas, also held a special Carnival workshop at Tao Club and Garden, which included Bachata, Salsa and Samba classes, followed by a costume contest and social dancing in a tropical setting.
After a month of festivities, the grand finale is the Burial of the Sardine (or Sardine’s Funeral). This rather strange tradition involves a parade that resembles a funeral procession, culminating in the burning of a huge figure of a sardine. The crowd parades dressed in black to show their mourning in this huge parody of a funeral, that symbolizes leaving the past behind and starting a new chapter. It all ends in beautiful fireworks along Las Canteras beach.
Overall, if you’re looking to experience Carnival but want to stay in Europe, the Canary Islands are the place to go. While
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Behind every dance, there is a story. This book will take you dancing from New York to Buenos Aires, immersing you in the local culture, history, and happiness with every dance step. Aliénor Salmon is represented by Gregory Messina of the Linwood Messina Literary Agency.
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