Tenerife Carnival gets into full swing

The Carnival widely acknowledged as the world’s second biggest after Rio de Janeiro got under way at the weekend, signalling more than a week of colourful street partying.

The opening night in Tenerife’s capital Santa Cruz on 28 February drew the usual massive crowds for the opening Parade, which was followed by the first of many big nights of music and revelry for old and young alike.

The Parade (which, as is typical of late, began late) was led by newly crowned Carnival Queen Elizabeth Ledesma, who won the coveted title earlier in the week and headed the proceedings from her giant float, one of dozens that filled the mammoth procession through the city’s crowd-lined streets.

An estimated 80,000 people disregarded the prospect of rain and turned out for the opening event of this year’s Carnival, whose Africa theme this year did not deter many from donning fancy dress and costumes of every conceivable kind, including the inevitable celebrities ranging from Michael Jackson to Harpo Marx and Fidel Castro.

The celebrations – including a public holiday on Tuesday for Mardi Gras – will see not just night-time revelry but daytime events also, among them further parades, which are expected to attract large followings of tourists thanks to marketing campaigns channelled by the Carnival organisers through tour operators and other tourism outlets.

Photo: Carnavaldetenerife.com