Los Cancajos held a 1960s fiesta on Saturday. The fun went on all day, but I only saw the concert in the early evening by La Retranka. I was disappointed that so few people dressed up. Let me tell you something – you’ll have a lot more fun if you do. The music was good. After all, there are lots of good songs from the 60s, and this is a…
On Friday 2nd March, Los Cancajos will hold its carnival parade, with about 400 participantes (children in fancy dress, serious percussion and other carnival bands). The parade starts at about 5:30 at the south end of the village (near Las Olas hotel)and will go along the main street to the Centro Cancajos, where there will be a performance by clowns. On Saturday, Los Cancajos will hold their 1960s party,starting at…
Santa Cruz de La Palma’s funeral for the sardine is a comparatively quiet affair (note “comparatively” – I think more people went to the costume dance on Saturday). It was still fun. The procession started with two of the sardine’s widows (posh-looking transvestites) followed by the Batuka (serious percussion) and jugglers, a fire eaters and a man on stilts. Next came the sardine itself, hand-carried by about ten men in…
Most places in Spain end Carnival with a funeral for a sardine. It’s like being inside a Monty Python sketch, with the crowd dressed in black (some tarty, some elegant) and screeching with fake grief. “WAUUUGH! She’s dead!” The whole thing’s deliciously bonkers. This bizarre finale to Carnival was traditionally held on Ash Wednesday, but most places on La Palma hold it at the weekend, so people don’t have to…
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…