While the Carnival of Santa Cruz begins to resemble the prepandemic party, at least as far as the contests and galas are concerned, which will have an audience in the Fairgrounds, Christmas does not seem to have the same fate, maintaining the The same limitations as last year, or what is the same, without receiving Their Majesties from the East, and without the Three Kings Parade, anywhere on the Island. Just yesterday, the Santa Cruz City Council announced the opening of the inscription Definitive of the Carnival groups from today until next November 11. Also yesterday it was known that the Government of the Canary Islands is not going to relax the restrictions for the Christmas period, claiming that acts such as the Parade is aimed at a public that is not even vaccinated, that is, children, with the consequent risk that the crowds linked to these parades entail.
In the case of Carnival, in addition to the registration, after which the Festivities will begin to make the first payments to the groups, the rules governing the different contests have already been approved. As for the murgas, the known limitations have to do with the limitation of the number of participants, which is a maximum of 50 for children, while it is 85 for adults. Three phases are expected to be held, and exceptionally 18-year-old members will be allowed if they participated in the 2020 Carnival. Three phases, one each day, with a maximum of 20 minutes on stage and one song per murga.
In the case of adult murgas, these will have three phases and a final to eight, with a performance time also shorter than on other occasions, of 20 minutes, and the presentation of two songs, one for the phase and another for the final . Both for children’s groups and for the elderly, contact with the public is totally prohibited.
The rondallas are obliged to interpret two works, in a 20-minute performance, while the maximum number of components will be 65.
The comparsas for their part, are the groups to which the greatest number of participants are allowed on stage, the maximum being 100 and the minimum 40, while the performance time will be 10 minutes.
The Party Councilor, Alfonso Cabello, pointed out that “we hope that the 95 groups that have pre-registered will continue. Right now we are with the management of the spaces for the sharing. We are calling the 95 groups to find out their needs, because some have looked for alternatives themselves such as industrial buildings, large premises that they had, or donated by the companies where some work, or sponsors. We also know of some groups that have larger premises and lend it to the smaller ones. Apart from the fact that Fiestas will put five municipal spaces on the table ”.
Christmas
Cabello acknowledged yesterday that he was not out of his astonishment at the refusal of the Government of the Canary Islands to lower the limitations to celebrate Christmas. Both Santa Cruz and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria had clearly pressed for the Executive to address the Carnival celebration as soon as possible, demanding to know the position of the regional government to return to the rehearsals. It seems that the pressure to celebrate Christmas has not been so effective, since, as the mayor of Fiestas recognized, “we were working with a forecast, that of the return of the Cabalgata and a very varied program of activities, and now it forces us to rethink everything ”.
He advanced that he will conduct a survey among different municipalities, at the state level, with the aim of knowing what they are working on for Christmas, “to at least put it on the table.”
Cabello shares many of the criticisms made yesterday on social networks against this decision. “People do not understand that they go to the stadium, but the reception of the Magi or the Parade is not allowed.” Faced with this refusal, the mayor of Fiestas admits that he has a plan B, which involves repeating last year’s formula, with itinerant Cavalcades through the different neighborhoods, “better organized and cared for, with less improvisation.”
The mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, was also upset yesterday by this decision. “It does not seem reasonable that while restrictions are not placed on football stadiums with 100% covered capacity as well as sports halls, this year, again, our minors have to watch the Three Kings Parade from the balconies.” “I am convinced that if this decree is maintained, we will see how it is celebrated in other cities in the country.”
