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34 | Gazette Life | February 2026Carnival Guide Carnival starts long before the parades hit the streets, with months of preparation and a whole schedule of events and competitions leading up to the big day. But for most islanders, the street parades are what carnival is all about %u2013 here%u2019s how to enjoy each one. Arrecife%u2019s big parade on Monday 16th February is always the first and the biggest of the processions. It%u2019s a genuinely impressive experience, as thousands gather near the football stadium in the capital before making their way along the inner ring-road towards the Cabildo.This year, Arrecife%u2019s parade will be inspired by %u201cChildren%u2019s TV of the 1980s%u201d meaning that costumes based on shows such as The Smurfs, Dogtanian and Three Muskehounds and the classic anime Mazinger Z will get a good reception (UK shows like Supergran and Rentaghost perhaps not so much).The next day, Tuesday 17th February, is a public holiday in most of the island, but is also the day San Bartolom%u00e9 chooses to hold its much smaller parade. The theme for this year is Ancient Egypt. On Wednesday 18th February, Arrecife will then hold its Burial of the Sardine parade, a bizarre custom in which a large papiermach%u00e9 fish is cremated to mark the end of the capital%u2019s carnival. The fish is followed by scores of grieving %u201cwidows%u201d dressed in black and purple, and preceded by dancers, drummers and singing groups. This parade proceeds along Arrecife%u2019s seafront from the Marina, and is one of the most picturesque.Playa Honda will also wave goodbye to a fish on Friday 20th February, as San Bartolom%u00e9 ends its carnival. The guachinango, or red snapper, will be burnt on Playa Chica after being paraded from the Esplanade at Guacimeta. Puerto del Carmen%u2019s parade will take place on Saturday 21st February (usually at 5pm, proceeding from Barcarola Apartments towards Fariones Hotel) and the theme of the carnival will be %u201cThe Crazy 1920s%u201d, so dig out those flapper costumes and join 83-year-old Juan Medina, who has been leading carnivals dressed as Charlie Chaplin for 40 years.Puerto del Carmen%u2019s parade is always a glorious affair, taking