How many funerals can you hold for a sardine? On La Palma, at least five. Los Llanos and Santa Cruz have already held theirs, but Puntalllana’s is on Friday night at 10 pm, and it’s got a 1960s theme. Public dance afterwards. The most famous sardine’s funeral on the island is at Los Sauces. This year it will be on Saturday 19th, with batucada (serious percussion) at 8 pm, drag…
Saturday 12th March Santa Cruz de la Palma All day long, music will be performed in various parts of the town to entertain passersby. Workshops, bouncy castles and festivals for the little ones. Performance by DJ Hanfry Martinez and various DJs from the Academia Red Bull. 10:00-12:00h. children’s games in the plaza de la Alameda. 12:00 h. VI Festival Orillas del Son «Fiesta Cubana», with music from Cristina and Carmelina…
Wednesday 9th March The Sardine’s funeral This is probably the second biggest event in Carnival. As the name suggests, it’s a funeral for a gigantic sardine, and downright Pythonesque too. Wear black and/or drag, and be prepared to wail with fake grief. Wednesday in Santa Cruz, Friday in Los Llanos, Saturday 19th in Los Sauces (a particularly good one) Santa Cruz de la Palma 18:00h. Reception and Wake for the…
Monday 7th March Santa Cruz de la Palma Los Indianos For most people, this is the big event. Many poor Palmerans emigrated to Cuba and Venezuela. This fiesta celebrates the ones who came home rich. Everybody dresses in white, some have suitcases full of monopoly money, and it’s a giant talc-throwing fight. You can see the timetable at http://www.transporteslapalma.com/transportes/Mapas/Indianos2011.pdf 10:00 h. Waiting for the return of the emigrants in the…
Carnival is a big deal in La Palma. By now we’re all fed up with the (relatively) cold, wet weather and ready for some fun. Carnival is just what we need: an explosion of colour and music with a dash of lunacy before Lent. I always say people are making sure they have something really juicy to repent, but these days most people just regard it as a darn good…