The carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is one of the largest popular celebrations on the planet. Often presented as the 2nd largest carnival in the world after Rio de Janeiro, it transforms the capital of the Canary Islands into an open-air theater for several weeks, featuring spectacular galas, giant parades, murga competitions, and nights of street festivities. And unlike many major carnivals, the vast majority of events are entirely free.
If you're English speakers and considering coming to Tenerife for the carnival — whether in 2027 or in the years that follow — this guide compiles everything you need to know: dates, event-by-event programming, practical tips, and how to make the most of it based on your traveler profile.
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⚠️ Official 2027 dates will be published by Santa Cruz City Hall in autumn 2026 on carnaval.santacruzdetenerife.es. The dates below are estimates based on the Easter calendar (Mardi Gras = February 16, 2027).
| Event | Estimated Date 2027 | Location | Free? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pregón (official opening speech) | Late January 2027 | Plaza de España | ✅ Free |
| Children's Queen Gala | Early February 2027 | Recinto Ferial | 🎟️ Ticket |
| Adult Queen Gala | ~February 6, 2027 | Recinto Ferial | 🎟️ Ticket |
| Drag Queen Gala | ~February 12, 2027 | Recinto Ferial | 🎟️ Ticket |
| Cabalgata Anunciadora | ~February 13, 2027 | Downtown | ✅ Free |
| Murga competitions | Throughout February | Recinto Ferial | 🎟️ Partial ticket |
| Rua — Grand Mardi Gras Parade | ~February 16, 2027 | Downtown | ✅ Free |
| Gran Coso Apoteosis | ~February 20, 2027 | Downtown | ✅ Free |
| Burial of the Sardine | ~February 27, 2027 | Playa de Santa Cruz | ✅ Free |
💡 The TenerifePulse AI Guide can help you plan your carnival schedule based on your travel dates — ask it directly →
2nd in the World After Rio — But Different
The carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has been recognized as a Festival of International Tourist Interest since 1980. Its reputation as the 2nd largest carnival in the world is based on several cumulative factors: duration (several weeks), volume of participants (1+ million), quality of artistic productions, and above all its deeply popular and free character.
The fundamental difference with Rio: in Santa Cruz, the festival is not a paid spectacle for tourists. It is first and foremost a celebration of and for the residents, to which visitors are fully integrated. This participatory dimension is what surprises most travelers discovering Tenerife's carnival for the first time.
A History Marked by Prohibition
- 1940s–1976: under Franco's dictatorship, the carnival is banned by name. It survives disguised as "Fiestas de Invierno" (Winter Festivals) — a cultural resistance that forged its current identity.
- 1954: the murga Los Bigotudos (ancestor of NiFú-NiFá) lays the foundation for the contemporary carnival.
- 1976: the word "Carnival" regains its official place after Franco's death. The celebration explodes, carried by decades of pent-up desire.
- 1987: the legendary concert by Celia Cruz on Plaza de España — a million people according to contemporary reports — remains one of the great myths in the collective memory of the island.
- 1980: official international recognition (Festival of International Tourist Interest).
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