Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

The Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a five-week festival of murga and comparsa contests, televised galas, a long parade and free street parties, with its main stage in Parque Santa Catalina beside the port. It was declared a Fiesta of International Tourist Interest in February 2023, the second in the Canary Islands after Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The 2027 edition is dedicated to music and runs from 22 January to 28 February, according to the official programme.

When is the Las Palmas Carnival in 2027?

The city council's preview programme (published on lpacarnaval.com) sets the main dates:

• 22 January: opening parade (desfile anunciador) and pregón.
• 25–30 January: murga rounds, with the final on Saturday 30 January; comparsa contest on 29 January.
• 5 February: Gran Dama gala (for older contestants).
• 8 February: Carnival Queen gala, the night before the Carnival Tuesday holiday.
• 9 February (Carnival Tuesday): children's parade and daytime carnival.
• 19 February: Drag Queen gala.
• 20 February: Gran Cabalgata, the main parade.
• 28 February: daytime carnival, "Viudas a la carrera" and the Burial of the Sardine.

Times and venues for each act are added closer to the date, so check the official site before travelling.

What makes this carnival different?

Parque Santa Catalina has hosted the main events since 1995, and the stage is rebuilt each year around the theme. The Drag Queen gala, held since 1998, is the event most associated with Las Palmas and draws a large audience on TV and in the park. The Gran Cabalgata covers roughly 7 km through the city and, since 2013, ends at Santa Catalina. The Burial of the Sardine processes from the Teatro Pérez Galdós area to Las Canteras beach, where the sardine is burned to close the festival. Since 2012 a daytime carnival has also filled the historic quarter of Vegueta.

A short history

Under the Franco dictatorship carnival was banned and renamed "winter festivities". In 1976 residents of La Isleta obtained permission for a costume parade, ending some 40 years of prohibition. National recognition came in 2017 and international recognition in 2023.

Practical tips for visitors

Street parties and parades are free; galas and contest finals are ticketed through the official channels. Santa Catalina is a short walk from Las Canteras beach, so staying in the Santa Catalina–Canteras area puts you within walking distance of most night events, but also of the noise. Roads around the park and the parade route close on parade days, and city buses (Guaguas Municipales) run modified routes; use them rather than driving.

Most visitors combine carnival nights with daytime trips: the Maspalomas Dunes in the south, or the hike to Roque Nublo, where February mornings in the summit can be cold. In 2027 the Santa Cruz de Tenerife carnival moves its street party to 19–28 February, overlapping with the last week here, so both can be combined by ferry or a short flight.