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February 2026 | Gazette Life | 35Your Valentine's Day and Carnival photos in our studio - in your own time and just how you want them.Book your appointment and enjoy the experience.Calle Bajamar 50, Local 4, Playa Honda | Tel: +34 611 940 218WWW.UPTOMOON.ES@UPTOMOONESTUDIOCREATIVE SELFIE STUDIOplace along the seafront as the sun sets, and it%u2019s also the start of four weeks of Saturday parades around the island.The following Saturday, 28th February, will see Har%u00eda take to the streets. This is a much smaller parade in the picturesque northern town, but that gives it an element of charm and local character that may not always be clear at the larger parades. This year%u2019s theme is Peter Pan and Never- Never Land. In Teguise, the carnival theme has been confirmed as %u201cBeautiful Mexico and Beyond %u2013 the Day of the Dead%u201d. The exact date of Costa Teguise%u2019s parade has not yet been officially announced, but judging by previous years and the dates we%u2019ve been given it seems highly likely that it will take place on Saturday 7th March. Costa Teguise%u2019s parade takes place up the hill from Sands Beach to the Pueblo Marinero, and the buildings on both sides make the noise and atmosphere surprisingly intense. On the same day, the small town of Tinajo will also celebrate its carnival parade, with the theme of Vikings. The final weekend of carnival season sees a small but lively parade on the beach of La Graciosa, but the main event is surely the big parade in Playa Blanca on 14th March. This year, the theme is the Gods of Olympus. Note: Teguise, Playa Blanca, Tinajo and Har%u00eda's dates were not officially confirmed when we went to press, but seem almost certain to take place on the dates given. Most parades begin in the evening, at times ranging from 5pm to 7 pm, so check in advance. We%u2019ll publish up-to-date info at www.gazettelife.com What to watch forCarnival is such a chaotic riot of colour and spectacle that it can be hard to understand what you%u2019re seeing, but here are a few things to look out for:Murgas: Murgas are singing groups, often dressed in humorous clown-like costumes. The songs they sing, which are often brutally satirical and accompanied by kazoos, have usually been performed at an earlier competition, and not much singing goes on at the parades %u2013 but the murgas embody the rebellious, absurd character of carnival.Comparsas: The comparsas are the beautiful soul of carnival, swaying, twirling fantasticallycostumed dancing groups doing an elegant samba shuffle. When their feathers and sequins flash in the evening sun, the magic of carnival is visible.Batucadas: The thunderous drumming groups that provide the beat of carnival. Inspired by the samba schools of Brazil, the deep boom of the surdo drums provides the foundations of each rhythms, with the snap and clatter of several smaller drums and shakers on top. The leader of the batucada directs things with his or her whistle. ReinasThe reinas, or Queens, have been elected earlier in the week and the winner of each competition usually joins the parade. There can be up to three queens %u2013 an adult Queen, who may be wearing her elaborate, costume; a juvenile Queen, and a bizarre, fantastical drag queen. Traditional groupsLos Buches are an old carnival group from Arrecife who dress as fishermen in white breeches, black waistcoats and odd masks and carry inflated fish bladders, which they tap onlookers on the head with. Los Diabletes are the terrifying devils of Teguise, shambling around in their Manrique-designed overalls, jangling their cowbells and lifting their fearsome horned masks to their faces and startling onlookers with a %u201cboo!%u201d. CarrozasCarrozas are the floats that usually follow the main pedestrian groups of the carnival. Often amazingly inventive, they usually have music blaring out and a group of revellers dancing behind the truck.