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Wednesday, 19. August 2026
Photos of the Canary Islands

Sardine burning and street parades take over Puerto de la Cruz

Tenerife's second largest carnival gets going on Ash Wednesday, once Santa Cruz has wound down, with Plaza del Charco as its hub, dozens of stage shows and a main procession through the lower town.
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Reina Anwärterin
Tenerife’s major fiestas have come to an end, whilst the carnival in Puerto de la Cruz is now in full swing. Below are the first pictures of the event…
Photo: Ayuntamiento

Click the „NEXT >“ button to go to the next picture…
From picture 25 (here) onwards, you’ll find pictures of the grand parade.

Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Straßenkarneval Plaza
As always, the Plaza del Charco is the centre of the festivities. Various performances and events will take place there.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Besuch Düsseldorf Landtag
Meanwhile, a delegation from Puerto de la Cruz is in Düsseldorf. The carnival groups have been working together for 50 years. Here they are visiting the State Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Teneriffa Düsseldorf Tänzerinnen
In Düsseldorf, Tenerife is always represented by its own float.
Photo: Dominik Bornewasser
Karneval Teneriffa Düsseldorf Wagen
And a number of Düsseldorf carnival societies are also celebrating this ‚jecke‘ partnership.
Photo: Dominik Bornewasser
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Beerdigung der Sardine
In Puerto, things really get going on Ash Wednesday, once everything’s over in Düsseldorf.
Photo: Alice von Dieckhoff
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Beerdigung der Sardine Trauer
The Sardine’s death is mourned at its funeral.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Beerdigung der Sardine Klageweiber
A whole procession of mourners is making its way through the town.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Beerdigung der Sardine Corso
Passing the church, we head towards the water.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Beerdigung der Sardine Bürgermeister
Even the mayor is dressed all in black.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Beerdigung der Sardine Zuschauer
The sardine looks different every year. This time, it is pictured sitting on the beach.
Photo: Alice von Dieckhoff
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Beerdigung der Sardine Zuschauer
Thousands of visitors have gathered at the harbour.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Beerdigung der Sardine Feuer
Because that is where it will ultimately be incinerated.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Beerdigung der Sardine brennt
When, in the end, only the skeleton of the figure remains…
Photo: Alice von Dieckhoff
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Beerdigung der Sardine Feuerwerk
…it all ends with a spectacular fireworks display.
Photo: Alice von Dieckhoff
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Straßenkarneval Samba
The street carnival, on the other hand, is only just getting into full swing.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Straßenkarneval Tanz
Music and dancing mark the start of the carnival’s peak period.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Straßenkarneval Bühne
There are dozens of performances taking place on the city’s stages.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Reina
And, of course, there are plenty of official events too. This is where this year’s Carnival Queen, the Reina de Carnaval, was crowned.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa große Bühne
The city’s largest stage even features an erupting volcano.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Straßenkarneval
Yet most of the events simply take place on the streets of Puerto.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Kinder-Königin
For example, there is also a child queen who is paraded through the town.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Kinder-CorsoFoto: Ayuntamiento
A large parade winds its way through the streets of Puerto.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Reina
And finally, the great queen is also shown and cheered.
Photo: Alice von Dieckhoff
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Reina 2023
And then, at last, the day of the grand carnival parade through Puerto de la Cruz arrived.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Tanzgruppe Blau-Weiss
A procession of numerous dance groups winds its way through the entire lower town.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Prinz Dirk II. Venetia Uasa
Visiting: The reigning Düsseldorf prince and princess, Dirk II and Venetia Uasa.
Photo: Alice von Dieckhoff
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Prinzengarde Blau-Weiss Düsseldorf
The Rhineland’s top carnival revellers were accompanied, amongst others, by members of the extremely large Prinzengarde Blau-Weiß.
Photo: Alice von Dieckhoff
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Kostüme
And, of course, plenty of locals in fancy dress also take part in the big parade.
Photo: Alice von Dieckhoff
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Kinder-Anwärterin
And let’s not forget the children’s…
Photo: Alice von Dieckhoff
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Reina-Anwärterin
…and the adult Reina contenders.
Photo: Alice von Dieckhoff
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Kinder-Reina-Anwärterinnen
Here are two more ‚Fast‘ child queens.
Photo: Alice von Dieckhoff
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Tanzgruppe
On the town’s promenade, the dance groups are performing at their very best.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Tänzerin Samba
With the weather at its best, the dancing and music really got the party going.
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Umzug
Even the amateur carnival revellers are not letting anything dampen their high spirits.
Photo: Alice von Dieckhoff
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Reina Umzug Corso
Under the watchful eye of the Queen…
Photo: Ayuntamiento
Karneval Puerto de la Cruz Teneriffa Promenade
…thousands of visitors and locals celebrated the grand parade together shortly before the end of the official carnival in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.
Photo: Ayuntamiento

We explain what happens next in the carnival celebrations and what the quirky custom of the ‚burial of the sardine‘ is all about via the links below:

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