“I think that every speck of glitter on this island is here right now.”
Feathers, glitter, dancing, giant floats, beautiful women, cross-dressing men; Tenerife is not considered Europe’s largest Carnaval for nothing! This two week celebration leading up to the season of Lent is the equivalent of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, but with a lot less beads and a lot more dancing! As Carnaval newcomers, my friends and I weren’t sure quite what to expect, but armed with our limited Google knowledge we headed into the streets of Santa Cruz, the island’s capital and the site of the main festivities.
Night One: We were walking towards the city center when we ran smack into the largest parade I have ever seen! Headpieces, face paint, and giant costumes all adorned thousands of dancers, and huge, extravagant floats made up the dresses of the members of the Queen’s court. Nothing was cheesy or cheap; everything looked as if it had been meticulously handmade. Even though the spectacle had the extravagance of a professional parade it was very familiar; performers would stop along the way to hug and kiss family and friends and even drag people into the route for a couple of paces. The entire thing was so enchanting we didn’t realize that it had lasted TWO FULL HOURS…and we hadn’t even caught the beginning! This particular parade was the opening of Carnaval on Friday night, and we learned that the participants were members of local performance groups or social organizations.
After the parade was over, we grabbed a bite to eat as the families left and the youth of the city came swarming in. Everyone was dressed in costume, and most of the men were dressed as women! We followed the crowd into a square packed with people. Everyone was laughing and talking, and when live music broke out dancing ensued. We stepped along as best we could, and left the square with heads reeling from the excitement of it all.
Night 2: The next night we were better prepared for what to expect. We went straight to the city after sightseeing, and picked up costumes from vendors along the way. This night, the festivities were set up in front of Santa Cruz’s impressive Auditorio de Tenerife, and included an actual carnival! We grabbed some greasy food from nearby vendors, took a spin on the ferris wheel, and enjoyed a short reprise of the parade from the night before. This time we saw the actual Carnaval Queen, who was stunning!
The entire experience was absolutely dazzling! If this is only the second largest in the world, what on earth is Rio like??
Carnaval Do’s and Don’ts
Do: Dress up. The first night I thought that a mask would be enough but the Spanish go all out! Join in the Carnaval spirit and dress from head to toe.
Don’t: Dress sexy. Think funny Halloween rather than sexy Halloween. All the men are dressed as women anyways sooo…
Do: Stay after the parades to hear the live music. Always follow the young crowds!
Don’t: Go straight to the festivities after sightseeing. Carnaval is definitely it’s own destination, and I wish we had planned ahead a little better so we could have participated in even more of the fun!
Do: Try the icing stuffed churros. This one is self explanatory.
Don’t: Force your friends on ferris wheels or make them dance with cross dressers. JK, definitely do, those made for the best stories!
Tales of the Curious 