The day Carnival fell for the Beach

The day they had the idea of joining Carnival and Beach, they were certainly thinking of Gran
Canaria. We are not sure whose idea that was. But it was clear Carnival festivities and the
islands fine weather were meant to be together.

Sceptics will wonder: But is it Gran Canaria the only place where Carnival is celebrated right
on the beach? Of course not! But it is somewhat hard to find a spot where the craziest
festivity in the calendar and the fine weather get along so well.
Undoubtedly, this island in the Canarian archipelago must be among the spots with the best
weather in all of Europe. As if made to measure. Custom-made to blend the longest nights
with days of sunshine in the middle of January/February.

The day Carnival met Las Palmas de Gran Canaria it did not think twice. The decision came
quick. Right away! There it would stay. It saw Las Canteras Beach. The sun. The sea coming
from everywhere. Carnival music zigzagging along the streets.
This was a long time ago, for Carnival in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is already ancient. Old
enough for many community members to boast of memories of a black-and-white Carnival.

And which is the couples secret? How do Carnival and the Grancanarian beaches get along so
well after so many years? Well, the key to this is no other than the current that crosses the
island almost imperceptibly. It is the spirit of live and let live, which impregnates it all. The
reason why Carnival swore eternal loyalty to the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (though it
is true there is some cheating here with the Maspalomas Carnival, but this is a story to be told
later).
You must come and see it!
The Carnival

15th to 18th Centuries

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival is one of the oldest, most deeply rooted and unique
festivals of the Canary Islands capital. For over five centuries the city has celebrated with
masquerading, tomfoolery... and flesh.
Its origins go back practically to the dawn of history. The Gran Canaria capital, founded on
June 24, 1478, soon became known for its ability to bring together cultures, with the
presence of settlers of various origins.
The Historia de Canarias (the 'History of the Canary Islands') by Jos de Viera y Clavijo,
recounting the arrival of the field marshal igo de Brizuela at the islands in February 1635,
reveals: a great dinner was served that night, and three banquets on the days of
Shrovetide...
In addition, various 16th-Century documents allude to the presence of Italians in the city
and their fondness of masked balls.
19th Century
The festival made its first significant leap in the mid 19th Century with the emergence of
sociocultural institutions with the faculty to organise parties for various occasions,
complemented by the first parades of allegorical floats and carriages accompanied by
masqueraders. This was the time of the Crculo Mercantil (the 'Merchants' Circle'), the
Gabinete Literario (the 'Literary Bureau') and Club Las Palmas, all based in and around the
city's historic centre, where the Prez Galds Theatre witnessed numerous scenes of
dancing and carnivalesque entertainment.
20th Century - The Winter Festival
By the 20th Century, the emergence of institutions like the Club Nutico (the 'Sailing Club')
and Club Victoria added the city's wharves and the La Isleta neighbourhood to the carnival
map. State repression prevented the development of an event that was disguised under the
name Fiestas de invierno, or 'Winter Festival', which locals kept alive in secrecy, at events
almost always hosted by the most notable social and sports clubs. They organised dances
and parties that were attended by local residents who hid their costumes under sheets until
they reached the premises.
20th Century- 1976: The recovery of the street carnival
The modern carnival took on its current format from 1976. This was when the party on the
street was recovered. A few months after the death of Franco, an Isleta resident, Manolo
Garca, called the civil governor of the province and obtained authorisation to bring the
carnival back onto the city's streets, and a costume parade was held after 40 years of
prohibition. La Isleta residents formed the first Patronato del Carnaval, or Carnival Trust,
and took charge of organising the event in these early years.
The 1980s
In the 1980s, the carnival organisers had to professionalise and specialise. The Carnival
had taken over the entire city and required a bigger budget, more activities and municipal
planning. This sowed the seeds for the agreement that was reached between the Carnival
Trust and the Municipal Council. The mayor Juan Rodrguez Doreste played a pivotal role
in this process as a true carnival-lover who backed the creation of a Mixed Commission
that would organise the event.
In 1986 another step was taken in the organisation of the Carnival with the creation of the
Las Palmas Carnival Foundation, which included representatives from the municipal
council, the political parties, the residents' associations, carnival groups and other social
groups. At this time a Venetian party was organised in Vegueta which is still remembered
today.
The 1990s
The 1990s started with some changes to the structure of the festival and the Fiestas del
Carnaval de Las Palmas limited company was created. In 1995 the main events returned to
Parque Santa Catalina, which was established as the focal point of the carnival.
1998 marked a turning point in the recent history of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival
as the year of the first Drag Queen Gala, which surpassed all expectations and has since
established itself as a flagship event and the festival's calling card overseas.
The 21st Century - The outward expansion of the carnival
Over the last thirty years, the carnival has gone on to become the most socially and
economically important festival of the island of Gran Canaria and one of its main tourist
attractions. It is a celebration that has known how to adapt to the new demands in leisure
and entertainment of a mass media society, while preserving all its traditional flavour.
In 2001 the Promocin de la Ciudad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, S.A. company was
set up to manage and organise the carnival parties.
The Gran Canaria capital's carnival has a history peppered with worthy contributions from
many well-loved popular celebrities like Juanito El Pionero or the unforgettable Charlot (a
perennial masquerader of the brilliant Charlie Chaplin).
At the same time it has become a festival capable of reinventing itself with the times by
incorporating new acts and events.
Now, with its anthem Invitacin al Carnaval ('Invitation to the Carnival') by Sindo Saavedra,
the festival is a true popular phenomenon whose only goal is revelry in a carnival city.
El Carnaval

Siglos XV - XVIII
El Carnaval de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria es una de las fiestas ms antiguas, con ms
historia y carcter propio de la capital grancanaria. Ms de cinco siglos de vida contemplan
la celebracin de la mascarita, la impostura y la carne. Sus antecedentes se remontan
casi al mismo inicio de su historia. La capital grancanaria, fundada el 24 de junio de 1478,
destac pronto por su capacidad para aglutinar culturas, con la presencia de pobladores
de diversa procedencia. Documentos histricos acreditan esta realidad: La primera
referencia directa al Carnaval se localiza en el S. XVI, en 1574, con el baile de mscaras y
disfraces celebrado en la casa del cannigo Pedro Len, con motivo del matrimonio de
Matas Cairasco. En la Historia de Canarias de Jos de Viera y Clavijo, al relatar la entrada
del capitn general, igo de Brizuela en las islas, en febrero de 1635, seala: sirvisele
aquella noche una gran cena, y tres banquetes los das de las carnestolendas Adems,
ya en el siglo XVI, distintos documentos aluden a la presencia de italianos en la ciudad, y a
su aficin a los bailes de mscaras.
S. XIX
La fiesta vive su primer salto importante a mediados del siglo XIX, con la aparicin de
instituciones socio-culturales con capacidad para convocar fiestas con motivos diversos,
complementadas por las primeras cabalgatas de carrozas y carros alegricos
acompaados por las mscaras. Es la poca del Crculo Mercantil, el Gabinete Literario o
el Club Las Palmas, siempre en torno al casco histrico de la ciudad, en donde el Teatro
Prez Galds vivi numerosas escenas de bailes y escenas carnavaleras.
S. XX - Las Fiestas de Invierno
Ya en el siglo XX la aparicin de instituciones como el Club Nutico o el Club Victoria
amplan el mapa carnavalero a la zona de los muelles de la ciudad y al bario de La Isleta.
La represin estatal impidi el desarrollo de una cita que se enmascar bajo la
denominacin de "Fiestas de invierno", y que los vecinos mantuvieron viva de manera
clandestina, en convocatorias que casi siempre albergaron los clubes sociales y deportivos
ms sealados. Convocaban bailes y fiestas que eran frecuentadas por los vecinos que
ocultaban sus disfraces bajo sbanas hasta llegar al local.
S XX - 1976 : La recuperacin del carnaval de calle
El Carnaval moderno cobr su dimensin actual a partir de 1976. Se recuper entonces la
fiesta en la calle. Unos meses despus de la muerte de Franco un vecino de la Isleta,
Manolo Garca, llamaba al gobernador civil de la provincia y lograba la autorizacin para
que el carnaval volviera a las calles de la ciudad y se pudo celebrar una cabalgata de
disfraces, despus de 40 aos de prohibicin. Los vecinos de La Isleta constituyeron el
primer Patronato del Carnaval y cogieron las riendas de la organizacin en estos primeros
aos.
Dcada de los 80
En la dcada de los 80 la organizacin del carnaval se tuvo que profesionalizar y
especializar. El Carnaval se apoderaba de toda la ciudad y exiga un presupuesto mayor,
ms actividades y una ordenacin municipal. Todo ello sembr la semilla para que se
produjera el acuerdo entre el Patronato del Carnaval y el Ayuntamiento. En este proceso
jug un papel fundamental la figura del alcalde, Juan Rodrguez Doreste, un autntico
carnavalero que impuls la creacin de una Comisin Mixta para la organizacin de las
carnestolendas.
En 1986 se dio otro paso en la organizacin del Carnaval con la creacin de la Fundacin
del Carnaval de Las Palmas en la que estaban representados el ayuntamiento, los grupos
polticos, las asociaciones de vecinos, los grupos de carnaval y otros colectivos sociales.
En esos aos se organiz una todava hoy recordada fiesta veneciana en Vegueta.
Dcada de los 90
La dcada de los 90 empez con algunos cambios en la estructura de las fiestas y se crea
la Sociedad Annima Fiestas del Carnaval de Las Palmas. En 1995, la celebracin de los
actos principales retornan al Parque Santa Catalina, que se consolida como centro
neurlgico de las carnestolendas. El ao 1998 marc un punto de inflexin en la historia
reciente del carnaval de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, con la celebracin de la primera
Gala Drag Queen que desbord todas las expectativas y que desde entonces se ha
consolidado como un referente y una carta de presentacin de las fiestas en el exterior.
El S. XXI - El despegue exterior del carnaval
En estos treinta ltimos aos, el Carnaval ha pasado a ser la fiesta de mayor impacto
social y econmico de la isla de Gran Canaria y uno de sus principales atractivos tursticos.
Una celebracin que ha sabido adaptarse a las nuevas demandas de ocio, diversin y
espectculo de una sociedad meditica, conservando todo su sabor popular. En 2001 se
constituye Promocin de la Ciudad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, S.A., que se hace
cargo de la gestin y organizacin de las fiestas del carnaval. Hoy, el Carnaval de la
capital grancanaria se ha hecho con una historia salpicada de valiosas contribuciones de
muchos personajes populares de un carcter entraable, como Juanito El Pionero o el
inolvidable Charlot (perenne mascarita del genial Charlie Chaplin). Al tiempo se ha
convertido en una fiesta capaz de reinventarse a s misma segn el signo de los tiempos
con la incorporacin de nuevos actos y eventos. As, bajo el himno Invitacin al Carnaval,
de Sindo Saavedra, se esconde todo un fenmeno popular que no entiende ms que de
diversin en una ciudad de Carnaval.

Gran Canaria's main carnival dates and posters are all out.

Things kick off on January 29th in Las Palmas, although the capital's big events, like the
drag queen final, main parade and burial of the sardine and carnival fireworks, are on the
weekend beginning February 19th. The traditional carnival in Vegueta is on Monday 8, and
the traditional carnival queen gala is on Friday 12. There are big street parties in Las
Palmas every Friday and Saturday night. The full program is here.

In Maspalomas, carnival starts on February 18 and runs until February 28. The drag queen
gala is on Thursday 25, tourist day is Friday 26, and the burial of the sardine and fireworks
are on Sunday 28. Download the details here.

In Mogn, carnival runs from the first to the sixth of March. The Mogn program is yet to be
announced.

Almost every town and village in Gran Canaria has its own calendar of carnival events, but
most haven't yet produced a program or a poster. Come on Telde!