🎭 Fiesta de Interés Turístico Internacional since 1980

Tenerife Carnival 2027
Dates, Programme & Practical Guide

The guide to planning your trip to the Santa Cruz de Tenerife carnival, from January 22 to February 28, 2027.

  • Season
    Jan 22 → Feb 28
    Street carnival Feb 19–28
  • The big day
    Coso Tue Feb 23
    Starts at 4pm
  • In the street
    Free
    Cabalgata, Coso, daytime carnivals
  • Indoor galas
    Ticket
    2026 prices: €3–15 · 2027 not published
📅 Add the 3 key dates to my calendarThis week in Tenerife: Jazz en el Mercado · Fiestas Patronales de Santa Úrsula →

The Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival is one of the world's biggest carnivals, with Rio de Janeiro as the great benchmark. For 2027, the official theme is "Roma Eterna: El Imperio del Carnaval", a nod to the 40th anniversary of the first Rome theme in 1987. The season opens on January 22 with the inaugural gala; the street carnival runs from February 19 to 28, with the Coso Apoteósico on Tuesday February 23 and the closing on the 28th — an exceptional two-week delay decided by Santa Cruz City Council for logistical reasons. Unlike most major carnivals, most street events are free, and in February daytime temperatures in Santa Cruz hover around 20°C (15–17°C at night), with no guarantee of sunshine.

This guide covers the essentials for planning your trip: a selection of the main events (the calendar below covers the full programme), accommodation and transport tips, budget, and advice tailored to your traveller profile.

The 3 events you can't miss

If you only have a little time, start here.

19Feb · 7:30pm

Cabalgata Anunciadora

The first big street parade: floats, comparsas, a costumed crowd.

Free
23Feb · 4pm

Gran Coso Apoteosis

The big Mardi Gras parade, along Avenidas Francisco La Roche and Marítima. Be there before 4pm.

Free

Tenerife Carnival 2027 Programme

✅ Official dates confirmed by Santa Cruz City Council (programme published June 2026). Exceptionally, the 2027 carnival is delayed by two weeks compared to the usual liturgical calendar, for logistical reasons.

In the streetContests & indoor galasChildrenHighlight
January · opening contests
February 2027
1Mon
Adult murgas · round I · 20:30
Recinto Ferial
2Tue
Adult murgas · round II · 20:30
Recinto Ferial
3Wed
Adult murgas · round III · 20:30
Recinto Ferial
4Thu
Adult murgas · round IV · 20:30
Recinto Ferial
6Sat
Adult murgas final · 20:00
Recinto Ferial
7Sun
Children's Queen Gala · 18:30
Recinto Ferial · €6–8 in 2026 · 2027 price not published
10Wed
Seniors' Queen Gala and Seniors' Festival · 17:30
Recinto Ferial · Free by invitation in 2026
12Fri
13Sat
Comparsas contest · 20:00
Recinto Ferial
14Sun
Costume contest
Recinto Ferial · Free in 2026
16Tue
Los Fregolinos concert · 20:30
Círculo de la Amistad XII de Enero
17Wed
Queen's Gala · 21:30
Recinto Ferial · €15 in 2026 (4,191 seats sold out in 30 min) · 2027 sale not published
18Thu
Zarzuela Festival · 20:30
Círculo de la Amistad XII de Enero
19Fri
Night carnival (street)
City centre
Cabalgata Anunciadora · 19:30
Plaza de la República Dominicana · Free
Floats and cars contest · 19:30
Puente Galcerán
20Sat
Night carnival (street)
City centre
Ritmo y Armonía · 21:00
Avenida Francisco La Roche
21Sun
I Carnaval de Día
City centre · Free
Fufa and Fregolinos concert · 11:00
Plaza del Príncipe
22Mon
Night carnival (street)
City centre
Gala Dragnaval · 20:00
Plaza de La Candelaria (Dormitorum stage) · Open-air · 2027 price not published
23Tue
Coso Apoteósico · 16:00
Avenidas Francisco La Roche and Marítima · Free · 6,500 free chairs in 2026
Ni Fu Ni Fa · Fregolinos · 11:00
Plaza del Príncipe
25Thu
Inclusive Carnival · 11:00
Avenida Francisco La Roche
Rondallas festival · 20:30
Círculo de la Amistad XII de Enero
26Fri
Viernes de Piñata (carnival night)
City centre
Children's Coso · 18:00
Parque García Sanabria · Free
27Sat
II Carnaval de Día
City centre · Free
28Sun
Ni Fu Ni Fa and the Zarzuela · 11:00
Plaza del Príncipe
Carnaval Senior · 17:00
Plaza de La Candelaria (Dormitorum stage) · Until 8 pm
Fin de Fiesta and fireworks · 20:00
Plaza de La Candelaria (Dormitorum stage) · Free
Checked on 3 October 2026 against the city council's official programme

What you read elsewhere that the official programme doesn't confirm: a Sardine Burial on 24 February · "free" admission to the musical groups contest in 2027 · a Coso route on "Avenida de Anaga" (the programme names Francisco La Roche and Marítima).

Official Carnival website →Programme, galas and information published by Santa Cruz city council.

How much does it cost? 2026 prices per event

2027 prices are not published yet. Here is what the city council showed in 2026, to give you an idea.

FreeMusical groups contest · Children's murgas · Costume contest · Seniors' Queen (by invitation)
€3–5Choreographic festival
€6–8Children's Queen Gala
€8Adult murgas (per round) · Rondallas
€8–12Adult murgas final
€6–10Comparsas
€15Queen's Gala · 4,191 seats sold out in 30 minutes
City council's official ticket office →

2026: online sales opened on 21 January at 9am for the contests and 23 January at 9am for the galas · maximum 4 tickets per card and per event.

What is published, and what is not yet

PublishedDates of every event · times and venues for most contests, the Coso, the Cabalgata and the galas · venue of the Dragnaval
Not yet published2027 prices · ticket sale opening date · start, finish and direction of the Coso · traffic plan · 2027 special transport

Get an alert as soon as one of these appears (email block at the top of the page).

The carnival is not only in Santa Cruz

Four other towns hold their own carnival, on different dates. That is what makes Tenerife unusual: with a little planning you can attend several — and Los Cristianos runs after all the others, which makes it a second chance if you miss Santa Cruz.

Puerto de la Cruz
20 January → 14 February 2027

2027 theme: 'Bajo el Mar'. Mascarita Ponte Tacón on 12 February, Gran Coso on the 13th, Senior Carnival and Piñata on the 14th. Dates reported by the specialist press; times and venues not published (the town's official page still shows the 2026 programme).

Los Realejos
Usual dates, programme not yet published

Los Realejos keeps its usual calendar, with no shift: the carnival closes with the Quema del Señor Rascayú and the Baile de Viudas. The exact dates and the 2027 programme have not yet been published by the town hall.

La Laguna
2027 dates not published

According to carnival press, the Carnaval Cultural keeps its traditional calendar, independent of Santa Cruz's shift: do not count on the weekend after the 23 February Coso. Plaza del Cristo and Teatro Leal, twenty minutes away by tram. The ayuntamiento has not yet published its 2027 calendar.

Los Cristianos
Early April 2027 (to be confirmed)

According to El Día (9 September 2026), Arona would hold its carnival after Easter: 1 to 12 April 2027, with the Coso on the 11th. The paper stresses this is a simulation based on the 2026 structure, pending confirmation from the town hall.

Do both: Puerto de la Cruz, then Santa Cruz

The main events do not overlap: Puerto de la Cruz’s Gran Coso is on 13 February, Santa Cruz’s Cabalgata on the 19th and its Coso on the 23rd. A stay of about ten days across mid-February lets you see both. Puerto de la Cruz’s detailed programme (times, venues) is not yet published.

The main highlights in detail

👑

The Queen's Gala — A night of monumental costumes

The election of the Carnival Queen is the most visually spectacular event: each candidate parades in a monumental costume built over months by local craftspeople. In 2026 the gala was broadcast live by Televisión Canaria and La 2 (TVE).

📍 Recinto Ferial, Santa Cruz🎟️ €15 in 2026 (4,191 seats, sold out in 30 minutes) — 2027 ticketing not yet published🕗 Starts 9:30pm
Culture page: The Queen's Gala →
🎭

The Drag Queen Gala — The most unexpected event

The Dragnaval blends performance, humour, wild costumes and social commentary. In 2027 it takes place outdoors on the Dormitorum stage in Plaza de La Candelaria, on Monday 22 February at 8pm. If you only see one gala night, make it this one.

📍 Plaza de La Candelaria (Dormitorum stage)🎟️ 2027 price not published
🎉

The Coso Apoteósico — Grand Mardi Gras Parade

The Coso Apoteósico is the high point of the carnival. In 2026 more than a hundred groups (comparsas, murgas, rondallas, floats, queens) paraded for about four hours along Avenidas Francisco La Roche and Marítima. The public watches from the pavements and the 6,500 free chairs set up by the city council; you don't need a costume to watch.

📍 Avenida Francisco La Roche✅ Completely free⏰ Arrive before 4pm for the best spots
Culture page: The Coso Apoteósico →
🎤

The murgas — Sung satire, the heart of the carnival

A murga is around forty costumed performers singing satirical lyrics about island current affairs, backed by kazoos and percussion. The contest runs over four qualifying rounds before the final, spread across weeknights — far less touristy than the galas. This is the carnival at its most Canarian. The lyrics are in Spanish, but the energy in the hall needs no translation.

📍 Recinto Ferial, Santa Cruz📅 Rounds 1–4 February, final on the 6th🧒 Children’s murgas on 29 and 30 January
🧒

The Children’s Queen Gala — The carnival at child height

The same principle as the adult Queen’s Gala, scaled to children: enormous costumes worn by candidates aged 6 to 12, mounted on wheels to carry the structure. The evening is much shorter and ends early, making it the only gala genuinely suited to young children.

📍 Recinto Ferial, Santa Cruz📅 7 February 2027👨‍👩‍👧 Ends early — family-friendly
🎊

Carnaval de Día — The city in costume, in broad daylight

Two days when the carnival leaves the halls and takes over the streets in the middle of the afternoon, a Sunday then a Saturday: open-air stages, bands, and a crowd entirely in costume. This is the most accessible face of the carnival — free, in daylight, no ticket and no queue. Dressing up is not compulsory, but you will be among the few who do not.

📍 City centre, Santa Cruz📅 21 and 27 February 2027✅ Completely free

What to plan based on your profile

🎭
Spectacle lover
Top priority: the Queen's Gala and the Drag Queen Gala. In 2026, Queen's Gala sales opened on 23 January at 9am and all 4,191 seats sold out in 30 minutes (maximum 4 tickets per card and per event), on the city council's official platform. Round it off with the Gran Coso Apoteosis street parade.
🎶
Local culture fan
Don't miss the murga contests at the Recinto Ferial (weeknights, fewer tourists). Arrive early for the pre-contest atmosphere.
👨‍👩‍👧
Travelling with children
The Gala Reina Infantil is perfect (ages 6–12), and so is the Children's Coso on 26 February. The daytime Carnaval de Día is ideal in daylight. Avoid the late adult galas.
🎉
Wanting the full experience
Come from Friday 19 to Tuesday 23 February: carnival nights on the 19th, 20th and 22nd, Carnaval de Día on Sunday 21st, the Coso on Tuesday 23rd. A simple costume is enough.
⏱️
One day only
Come on the day of the Coso (Tuesday 23 February). The parade starts at 4pm: be on Avenida Francisco La Roche before then. You will have seen the biggest street event — for free.

Accommodation & Transport

🏨 Accommodation

  • Santa Cruz centre
    Ideal but pricey and noisy · Book early: 83% occupancy in 2026, 86% on the Coso weekend
    See hotels →
  • La Laguna
    Quiet, tram link to Santa Cruz · Good value for money
    See hotels →
  • Puerto de la Cruz
    Local carnival + direct bus (line 100) · Good option if you have a car
    See hotels →
  • South of the island
    Possible but a 1h30 journey · Night TITSA buses reinforced in 2026
    See hotels →

🚌 Transport

  • Tram (TranvíaMetro)
    Double trams every 10–15 min; in 2026, terminus at Teatro Guimerá on Coso day and La Paz at night (after 10pm). 2027 times on metrotenerife.com
  • TITSA buses (lines 111 and 711)
    Santa Cruz ↔ Costa Adeje in 1h30 (line 111, night line 711); night services reinforced 13–21 February in 2026
  • TITSA bus (line 100)
    Direct Santa Cruz ↔ Puerto de la Cruz; lines 102 and 104 reinforced at night in 2026
  • Car
    Best avoided in the centre on Coso day: streets closed 10am–10pm in 2026. The Intercambiador car parks stayed open 24 hours

Getting your bearings: where to watch the Coso

According to the official programme, the Gran Coso Apoteosis (Tuesday 23 February, 4pm) runs along Avenidas Francisco La Roche and Marítima, on Santa Cruz's waterfront. In 2026 the city council set up 6,500 free chairs and 1,300 grandstand seats there. Easy landmark: Plaza de España, right in the city centre, marks the end closest to the hotels and the bus station (Intercambiador). The start, finish and direction of the parade have not been published yet.

See Avenida Francisco La Roche on the map →

Carnival 2027 Budget

Gran Coso Apoteosis✅ Free
Carnaval de Día (x2)✅ Free
Queen's Gala€15 (2026)
Drag Queen Galaprice not published
Murga contests€8 per round, €8–12 for the final (2026)
Santa Cruz accommodation (1 night)varies, rises during carnival
Round-trip TITSA bus from the SouthTITSA fare, see titsa.com
Food & drinks per evening~€20–40 (estimate)

Two and a half centuries of carnival

Santa Cruz's carnival was not invented for tourists. It survived a state ban, changed its name to keep going, and took its own name back twenty years later.

1778
The first written trace

An island notable, Lope Antonio de la Guerra y Peña, records a carnival ball in Santa Cruz in his diary and already uses the word 'comparsas'. Five years later, an edict bans masks in the street: the festival was already making the authorities uneasy.

1937
The ban

Franco's regime suspended carnivals by circular, published in the State's official gazette. The ban was renewed in 1938 and again in 1940. In Santa Cruz the festival carried on in private, or in a half-tolerance that depended on whichever civil governor was in post.

1961
The borrowed name

The council formally reorganised the festival, but under another name: 'Fiestas de Invierno', the winter festivities. The workaround lasted fifteen years. The word 'carnaval' only returned to the official poster in 1977.

1980
Recognition

The State Secretariat for Tourism declared it a Fiesta de Interés Turístico Internacional, the first festival in the Canaries to hold that status. It had already been of national interest since 1967, under its borrowed name.

1987
The record

On Carnival Tuesday, the plaza de España hosted a concert with Celia Cruz and the Sonora Matancera. The notarised count recorded 240,000 people; the press reported 250,000. Guinness registered the gathering, though the exact wording of the record varies between sources.

Today the city counts more than a million cumulative attendances across a season, 106 registered groups in 2026 and an estimated economic impact of around 40 million euros. One useful correction, because the opposite is often written: the Santa Cruz carnival is NOT inscribed on UNESCO's intangible heritage list. The council opened a file in 2008 and abandoned it in 2009. Spanish carnival as a whole was recognised by the Spanish State in 2016, but that is a national status, not a UNESCO inscription.

Practical tips

👗
Outfit
No costume required. A mask or hat is enough. Bring a light jacket: 15–17°C at night in February.
🔒
Safety
Wear your bag in front in dense crowds. The busiest areas are also the most closely monitored.
💧
Drinks
Prices spike at festival kiosks. Bring a bottle from where you're staying.
📱
Live updates
The official programme and its updates are on carnavaldetenerife.com.

🏛️ Casa del Carnaval — carnival, all year round

The Casa del Carnaval tells the story of the Santa Cruz carnival, by the Barranco de Santos, under the Puente Galcerán bridge. It closed on 1 November 2025 for a full renovation; in March 2026 the museum still spoke of a reopening soon. We found no reopening announcement: check casacarnavalsantacruz.com before you go.

Casa del Carnaval official website →

Frequently Asked Questions — Tenerife Carnival 2027

When does the Tenerife carnival take place in 2027?+
The 2027 Tenerife carnival runs from January 22 to February 28, 2027, with the street carnival concentrated between February 19 and 28 and Mardi Gras (Coso Apoteósico) on February 23. Official programme confirmed by Santa Cruz City Council in June 2026 — exceptionally delayed by two weeks for logistical reasons.
Is the Tenerife carnival free?+
Most street events are free: the Gran Coso Apoteosis, the Cabalgata Anunciadora, the Ritmo y Armonía contest and the daytime carnivals. In 2026 several indoor contests were free too (musical groups, children's murgas, costume contest, Queen of the Elders by invitation). The other acts were ticketed: Queen's Gala €15, adult murgas €8 (final €8–12), comparsas €6–10. 2027 prices are not yet published.
Do you need to dress up for the Tenerife carnival?+
No, a costume isn't required. The Coso is a parade of registered groups (comparsas, murgas, floats): the public watches from the pavements and chairs. At the Carnavales de Día and during the carnival nights, many people dress up, and a wig or a mask is enough to join in.
How many people attend the Tenerife carnival?+
Over a million attendances across the full season (a cumulative figure, per Santa Cruz City Council), making it one of the world's biggest carnivals. Gala nights and the Coso draw the biggest crowds.
Where should I stay during the Tenerife carnival?+
Stay in Santa Cruz de Tenerife or La Laguna (reachable by tram). In 2026 Santa Cruz hotel occupancy averaged 83% (86% on the first weekend), with many last-minute bookings: book early for the Coso weekend. Puerto de la Cruz is a solid alternative if you have a car.
How do I get to the carnival from the south of the island?+
TITSA lines 111 and 711 (night) link Costa Adeje and Santa Cruz in about 1.5 hours and were reinforced from 13 to 21 February in 2026. Check titsa.com for 2027 times, published a few weeks ahead.
What's the difference between Tenerife's carnival and Rio's?+
In Rio de Janeiro, the samba schools' parade is watched in the Sambadrome, with a ticket. In Santa Cruz, the big parade, the Coso, is watched for free in the street, and the city council sets up free chairs (6,500 in 2026).
What is the Tenerife carnival's Drag Queen Gala?+
The Drag Queen Gala (Dragnaval) is one of the carnival's most anticipated events. Drag performers take the stage in spectacular costumes blending humour, art and social commentary. It is in the official programme on Monday 22 February 2027 at 8pm, on the Dormitorum stage in Plaza de La Candelaria. The 2027 price is not published.
Can you attend the Tenerife carnival with children?+
Yes, the Tenerife carnival is very family-friendly during the day. The Gala Reina Infantil is dedicated to children aged 6 to 12 and the Children's Coso takes place on 26 February. The daytime carnivals are great for families. Avoid the late adult gala evenings with very young children — they start late and run past midnight.
What is a murga at the Tenerife carnival?+
A murga is a group of satirical singers accompanied by light percussion. They perform humorous songs about politics, society and the year's events. The murga contests at the Recinto Ferial run from 29 January to 6 February (children's and adult rounds, final on the 6th) — the most authentic and local event of the carnival.
Is there a Sardine Burial in 2027?+
The official calendar published by Santa Cruz city council in June 2026 does not list a Sardine Burial for 2027, even though several websites announce it for 24 February. The 24th is empty in that calendar; the 25th hosts the Inclusive Carnival and the Rondallas Festival. We will update this page if the council adds it.
When do tickets go on sale and how much do they cost?+
2027 dates and prices are not published yet. In 2026, online sales opened on 21 January for the contests and 23 January for the galas, with a maximum of 4 tickets per card and per event; the Queen's Gala (€15) sold all 4,191 seats in 30 minutes. Several contests were free, including the musical groups and the children's murgas.
Where can I sit to watch the Coso?+
In 2026 the city council set up 6,500 free chairs and grandstands for 1,300 people along Avenidas Francisco La Roche and Marítima. The parade starts at 4pm: arrive earlier to find a seat. On Coso day the tram terminates at Teatro Guimerá.

In Tenerife over the coming weeks

Upcoming fiestas and romerías on the island.

See the full events calendar →

Culture pages to explore further

🤖

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