In earlier editions, we have focussed our attention mainly on carnival celebrations in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife given their undoubted interest to tourists staying on either of the two islands. However, many other cities whoop it up at carnival time and Puerto de la Cruz is certainly one of them.

On 7th February, the Carnival Queen was elected and there is a fantastic programme of events scheduled for this weekend. Today, Saturday, the Carnival Parade will be marching through the city centre, starting out at 8.30 p.m. from Paseo Luis Lavaggi and ending up in Avenida de Colón, the gorgeously decorated carriages and extravagantly dressed participants drawing the crowds. Later on, you can choose between the Costume Party and Dance, held in the Plaza del Charco, and the Notting Hill Music Festival, at the south end of the same square, both at 10.00 p.m. These two events will also take place at the same time and same venues on Sunday and Monday, plus the Costume Party and Dance again on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

There are plenty of other events programmed for the rest of the week. On Monday, there are performances by Carnival Companies (6.00 p.m., Plaza de Europa), Miss Drag Queen Tenerife (9.30 p.m., Plaza de Europa); Tuesday, the 31st Vintage Car Show (1.00 p.m., Plaza del Charco); Wednesday, the Burial of the Sardine - a typically Spanish tradition that supposedly marks the end of carnival celebrations, but not here, in these fun-loving islands (leaving Avenida General’simo at 9.00 p.m. and marching through the streets to the fishing dock); Thursday, the Chicharrero Festival, which brings Carnival Companies from Santa Cruz (9.30 p.m., Plaza de Europa) and a Carnival Ball organised by the Puerto de la Cruz Rotary Club (10.00 p.m., Hotel Maritim); Friday, a reception for the Düsseldorf Carnival Committee (8.00 p.m. at the Mayor's office), the Carnival Ball (9.00 p.m., Hotel Botánico) and the men's 'Mascarita Ponte Tacón' marathon (starting at 9.30 p.m. from Paseo San Telmo, to the finish line in Plaza del Charco). Major attractions for the following weekend include the Carnival March, following a route from Avenida General’simo to Avenida José M. del Campo Llarena (from 4.00 p.m., onwards) and the final Costume Party and Dance (from 8.00 p.m. onwards in the Plaza del Charco), both on Saturday. Finally, Puerto de la Cruz will bid Carnival 2002 farewell on Sunday, 17th February, with performances by different Carnival Companies (6.00 p.m. in Plaza de Europa) followed by a loud and boisterous exhibition of dance and music at 10.00 p.m. in Plaza del Charco.

Have a good time!