The Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria · Category: Memory · Subcategory: Historic sites

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, following its founding on 24th June 1478, and its first few years of existence, started to develop a distinct social and cultural environment, suitable not only for putting on a range of fiestas, which were the perfect forerunners to its Carnival, but forged a common identity through its people that lent itself so well to this way of life. In this way, the Carnival at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria began to slowly take shape, and despite it always conforming to the political, institutional, social and religious situation of the time, it constituted a strongly awaited fiesta that the locals really made their own. 

Throughout its 525 years' existence we can trace several key stages in the Carnival's history and development. The first stage goes back to its origins, which stretches from its founder years during the last few decades of the 15th century and the start of the 16th, right through to well into the 19th, with many pivotal moments, such as the Enlightenment for instance. Another stage, corresponding to the second half of the 19th century and the turn of the 20th, could be defined as the one displaying great splendour, and the consolidation of its own customs, including the flower fights and the parades. A third, silent period corresponded to the long years of dictatorship under Franco, in which it struggled to survive in the intimacy of isolated local communities, sometimes going under other guises such as the "winter fiestas", or family and neighbours' fiestas in outlying districts. The final stage, from 1976, which reaches its current day splendour, covers the period from the end of the 20th century into the new century, in which its international prestige has been solidly forged. 

Today's Carnival in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria features significant celebrations, including the Proclamation, the Carnival Queen Gala, the Drag Queen Gala, which has unexpectedly become hugely popular internationally, the Carnival Parade and the Burial of the Sardine. Also worth pointing out is the emergence of the Murgas singing groups, alongside the Comparsas, which are technically more complicated to organize. Some of the rondallas street bands have also made a comeback, which used to be very important in the Carnival's early days. The Carnival has also always had a great presence in artistic production as well as local and foreign literary writers from quite diverse periods, underlining its deep rooted relationship with the community's customs and concerns, all of which in turn have a contagious effect on visitors to the island.

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