Tuesday marked the grand day of the Carnival in La Orotava. The morning kicked off at 10:00 am with the LI display of antique cars around the Plaza de la Constitución and the subsequent procession through the Valley. The event was enlivened by the Fanfarria Peña El Casco and attended by the carnival queen, her court of honour, as well as the local court and authorities from both municipalities.
In the afternoon, starting at 5:00 pm, the grand carnival parade took place, featuring nearly fifty carnival groups from various parts of the island, particularly the northern region. The procession, following tradition, commenced at the Cruz del Teide and traversed through the streets of Salazar, San Francisco, Carrera Escultor Estévez, Calvario, concluding at Plaza de la Paz. An estimated 20,000 spectators enjoyed the three-hour long parade. The evening was scheduled to culminate with a festive event at Plaza de la Constitución, featuring the orchestras Maquinaria and The Boys Machine.
Costumes, Excitement and Fantasy
The festivities were themed “Costumes, joy and excitement…at the carnival in the circus”. The morning of Friday, February 9, saw a children’s parade from the town’s schools, parading from Plaza del Quinto Centenario to Avenida Iberoamericana. In the evening, the Gala for the Election of the Queen and Ladies of Honour took place, presented by Elvis Sanfiel and featuring performances by Miriam Reyes, El Morocho, and various carnival groups.
The town of La Orotava was filled with colour and joy on the morning of Friday, February 9, with over 1,500 participants from the local educational institutions.
The meeting point was at the Plaza del Quinto Centenario at 10:00 am, where children enjoyed various activities and entertainment by Güicho. The parade commenced around midday, traversing through Cantos Canarios, Calvario, San Agustín, around Plaza de la Constitución, proceeding to Tomás Zerolo, Carrera Escultor Estévez, and finally Avenida Iberoamericana, concluding at around 1:00 pm. The students flaunted costumes crafted by them in their respective schools.
The procession included students from various schools such as British School of Tenerife, Ramón y Cajal, Manuel de Falla, Santo Tomás de Aquino, Santa Teresa de Jesús, Infanta Elena, Víctor Rodríguez Jiménez, La Concepción; Leoncio Estévez, and Inocencio Sosa.
The Villa’s Queen
Yanira González Morales, adorned in the ‘La más bella del mundo’ fantasy designed by Alfonso Baute and representing Multicentro Comercial El Trompo, leads the village’s carnival celebrations as the chosen queen for La Orotava in the 2024 edition.
Gisela Abrante González claimed the title of first lady of honour, donning the ‘Borcalis’ fantasy designed by Fran Yanes, representing Ferretería La Luz. Ilenia Alonso Casañas, wearing the ‘Phoneix Canariensis’ design by Sergio and Octavio Hernández and representing Effico, secured the position of second lady of honour.
The gala kicked off with a circus-themed opening, featuring performances by various groups, concluding with a three-hour spectacle presented by Elvis Sanfiel and directed by David Hernández.
Drag Gala and Los Villeros
The Drag Queen and Humour Gala took place on Saturday, February 10, featuring guest drag queens from Gran Canaria, including Vulcano, Electra, Armek, and Shiky, as well as performances by Sandra del Castillo and host Yanely Hernández. Sunday, February 11, saw the streets and squares of the urban centre adorned with the street carnival.
Various locations hosted children’s activities, workshops, games, characters, and performances, while different stages featured Latin dances, Zumba, theatre, choreographic groups, and costume contests. The groups paraded from the Town Hall Square to the stage on Calvario Street, where they performed into the evening. Monday, February 12, entailed a parade and festival of comparsas to commemorate the 30 years of Los Villeros. Participating groups included Cariocas, Tabajaras, and Ritmo del Viento.
Crispin’s Challenge
Today, Wednesday, February 14, marks the culmination of the carnival in La Orotava with the Crispin’s Challenge at the Town Hall square, featuring performances by El Morocho and the 101 Brass Band. Later, starting at 9:00 pm, a parade to Plaza del Quinto Centenario will lead to the burning of the effigy, with the evening further animated by the group Escuela de Calor.
