The insufficiency of financial liquidity and budget provisions has compelled the Puerto de la Cruz City Council to cancel the municipality’s summer carnival, which the previous governing body had announced to take place from the 3rd to the 8th of September.
The cancellation has been made with the unanimous agreement of the summer carnival groups, as stated in a report, which further mentions that this situation, alongside the absence of files needed to contract the necessary services, has led the Festivals Department of the new governing authority to arrive at this conclusion.
The Councillor for Celebrations, Luis Javier González, expressed that he fully comprehends, respects, and endorses “the decision made by the carnival groups.”
He expressed his deep regret that, despite having taken office less than two weeks ago and discovering nothing at the City Hall that would facilitate the organisation of this event, they are obliged to make this unfortunate choice.
From the Festivals Department, “we have reached out to the designers involved in creating the Carnival King’s costume, arranging with them to shift their gala to the Winter Carnival of 2025. Uniquely, the upcoming Puerto de la Cruz International Carnival will feature four galas: the Children’s Queen, the Carnival Queen, the Grand Lady, and the Carnival King,” he noted.
He also highlighted that the Festivals Department and its technical team have prioritised convening several meetings with the designers, the carnival groups, and the CIT Centre for Tourist Initiatives, “where the actions to be undertaken by the department to address the overdue payments and facilitate planning for the next Summer Carnival in 2025 were discussed.”
The Festivals department confirms that it is operating “in a coordinated and systematic way, with all parties involved in the upcoming Winter Carnival, which will pay homage to the ‘World of Tim Burton.’
The current governing body has assumed leadership of the Puerto de la Cruz City Council following a motion of censure promoted by the PP in alliance with CC and Asamblea Ciudadana Portuense on the 16th of August.
Following this motion of censure, Leopoldo Afonso from the PP has been appointed as mayor of Puerto de la Cruz, replacing Marco González from the PSOE, who has governed with the backing of the Asamblea Ciudadana Portuense (ACP) since the last elections.