ARC and ARC+ crews were treated to a spectaular taste of the famous carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria at the official Welcome Party. Acrobats, and performers delighted the crowd, with a creative display to start the ARC party season. The carnival is one of the highlights of the local calendar, when the city of Las Palmas comes alive with music and dancing.
The Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria takes place in the city in February each year. It’s a perfect start to the year as it is the first major festival to take place in Las Palmas after the Christmas and New Year’s festivities. The festival is a highlight in the Las Palmas calendar and Carnival fever takes over the city. Every one is welcome - so put on your best costume and come to the carnival for some songs, dancing and plenty of laughs!
As the festival approaches, the everyday landscape of the streets, squares and the area of Parque Santa Catalina and Las Canteras Beach transforms itself. Dressing up in a costume is almost compulsory during the weekend prior to Carnival Tuesday, a bank holiday in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
On the day of the Great Parade, the streets change, and are filled with local people walking on them for up to 8 hours. It is truly a multicoloured demonstration and tens of thousands of people gather on the sides during it to enjoy the costumes, the dance, the music and the elaborate floats.
The main focal point of the festival is the celebration of the Drag Queen Gala, where the queens encourage people to cut loose. The drag show is the most popular, the most prestigious, and famous part of the carnival.
At the Drag Queen Gala, there are murgas and comparsas contests, a body make-up show, costume festival, children activities, concerts and parades, a dog’s costume contest and many other events form a varied schedule put together for families, friends, people of every age group. Loved by tourists and locals, thousands fill the steps, seats and public spaces to watch the unmissable greatest party of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.