La Laguna Carnival Apotheosis Triumphs After Weather Woes
La Laguna's Carnival successfully staged its main Apotheosis parade on Sunday, March 1st, with twelve groups marching, providing a much-needed triumph after earlier events were disrupted by bad weather.
The La Laguna Carnival's main event, called the Apotheosis, went ahead successfully last Sunday, March 1st. This was a big deal for the World Heritage city, especially since bad weather had caused problems for earlier events. Twelve groups marched through the streets, starting at noon from Plaza del Cristo.
This success was a welcome change after a difficult weekend for the Cultural Carnival. On Friday, all morning and afternoon events had to be cancelled because of rain. On Saturday, the rain also forced big changes to the Great Children's Pirate Party. Inflatable rides couldn't be set up, but children's groups like Bambas, Joroperos, and Ballet Dance still performed on the stage in Plaza del Cristo. Luckily, Saturday afternoon brought better weather, allowing the Las Rondallas street parade and the Carnival Night, Son y Vinos event to go ahead, drawing a good crowd.
Despite a light, on-and-off drizzle and cool temperatures typical for La Laguna at this time of year, Sunday's parade went smoothly. Leading the procession was Las Celias, a famous Tenerife carnival group celebrating 30 years. They were followed by groups such as Bambas, Ballet Dance, the "murga" Los Castorcitos, the large group En Paralelo Danza, the "comparsa" Valleiros (who won second prize in the Rhythm and Harmony competition), Marchilongas, Río Orinoco, and finally, the Joroperos, who took third prize in the same competition.
The crowd was varied. Some people stumbled upon the event by chance, while others, especially families, came to La Laguna looking for a more relaxed atmosphere than the celebrations in Santa Cruz. Most spectators weren't wearing costumes. The Cultural Carnival ended with a new feature this year: a redesigned Burial of the Sardine. This procession was planned to start from Plaza del Hermano Ramón, go along Viana Street, and finish in Plaza del Cristo, where a big masked ball was held.