At 9:00 p.m. tonight, the square of the Patron Saint will host the meeting of street carnival troupes from Canary Islands that started in 2002 and was interrupted due to the Covid situation in 2020. Since then, this event, considered the main act in the festive program of Candelaria, has not been celebrated.
In this edition, the stage will be shared by the winners of the performance interpretation in the competitions of Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: Bambones, Trapaseros, and Diablos Locos, by the host Island, and Nietos de Sarymánchez, Legañosos, and Serenquenquenes as guests. Unlike other editions, the festival is limited to the six winners, without extras, and establishes two themes per troupe. This is how the meeting is expected to unfold after five years without being celebrated; four if counted by editions.
Serenquenquenes (Agüimes, 1982). Under the direction of Javier Santana, they will open the festival and also the turn of the third-place winners in Interpretation. The most awarded troupe in Las Palmas – with 15 first places, 9 second places, 7 third places, and 12 Tomás Pérez awards, will perform The Song of the Fans and Strong Piece of Party. They will be the first to perform tonight in the square of the Patron Saint, if the wind permits.
Diablos Locos (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 1970). Making their debut at the Candelaria street carnival troupes meeting are Tomy Carvajal as director and Acaymo Correa as musical director, with lyrics by Víctor Asenso and Idafe González. They are expected to sing The Revolution and The Teka Disco. The society chaired by Maxi Carvajal has 24 Interpretation awards and twelve Presentation awards. They have had 28 consecutive passes to the final of the Santa Cruz street carnival troupes.
Legañosos (El Carrizal, 1981). With them, the winners of the second place in Interpretation begin their turn. Directed by David Zurita, their repertoire has the signatures of Adrián Ramírez and Isidro García. They are expected to interpret Marching to Carnival and It Must Be Because I Love You.
Trapaseros (Los Realejos, 1991). Making their debut in Candelaria under another director: Adrián García, who took over the group from Los Realejos in the last edition and has since been their lucky charm for winning awards alongside Adrián Montesdeoca; in 2023, they won the first prize in Interpretation. They will sing The Desires, Back to the Future, The Mistakes, and A Hidden Theme.
Los Nietos de Sarymánchez (Telde, 2012). Directed by Rubén Santana Pitu and chaired by Pedro Betancor, their repertoire has been put together by Samuel Pérez, with lyrics by David Perdomo. Winners of four first prizes in Interpretation, as well as another four second prizes and a third prize in Las Palmas, as well as a Tomás Pérez award, they are scheduled to sing Common Good and Soup and Cake.
Bambones (El Cardonal, 1982). Under the command of Primi Rodríguez, the undisputed winners of the street carnival troupe contest of Santa Cruz de Tenerife will perform You Sing and The Brochure, with musical arrangements by Julio Alexis Fernández Calzadilla and Pablito Moreno.
A Carnival without a Queen
The square of the Patron Saint hosted the opening gala on the past Thursday night, orchestrated with great taste and success by Jonathan Barroso, in a new edition where the Village celebrates the Carnival without queens, following the decision made in previous editions by the governing team led by Mari Brito.
The evening featured performances by the Bahía Bahitiare troupe, the ballest Beanky and Odali from Arafo, and the singer Árgel Campos. Additionally, the performances included Los Fregolinos, the Children’s Tropicana Troupe, the Almagec Batucada, the Antón Guanche Group, Tropicana Troupe, En Paralelo Dance, the Municipal School of Oriental Dance and the drag queens Exhuberancia Carey, Vulcano and Shetlas, as well as the witty Rumbera Ultraperiférica, a character embodied by the young teacher Carlos Gustavo, a hallmark of the village’s festivities. The Carnival wouldn’t be complete without him.
The event highlighted the tribute to outstanding figures and entities that have significantly contributed to the culture and identity of Candelaria. Thus, three emotional tributes were paid: to the composer Agustín Ramos, who was honoured in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of his iconic song Santa Cruz in Carnival, the Tropicana Troupe, a group that received a well-deserved recognition for 30 years of representing Candelaria in the Carnival, and the designer Juan Carlos Armas, for his 30 years of dedication to the creation of costumes for the Carnival queens.
