Santa Cruz De Tenerife: Carnival 2026 Kicks Off, City Thrives With Diverse Events

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is buzzing with a wide range of activities, making it a lively hub for culture, community, and celebrations. The official start of Carnival 2026 is happening now, alongside events for young people, art lovers, moviegoers, music fans, readers, and the whole community. There's something for everyone.

These events are spread across all five districts, using various city and cultural venues. This makes Santa Cruz a top spot for activities and gatherings, blending tradition, healthy fun, and easy access to culture for all ages.

Carnival

The official launch of Carnival 2026, the Inaugural Gala, is tomorrow. It will take place on Paseo Teniente Francisco Grandi Giraud, near Plaza de España. Around 1,000 people can attend with an invitation. The "Carnival of Latin Rhythms" will kick off at 9:30 PM, lasting just over an hour, and will be hosted by Elvis Sanfiel.

During this first Carnival event, 32 queen hopefuls will parade: 10 for Children's Queen, 11 for Senior Queen, and 11 for Adult Queen. They will find out their order for their upcoming contests. The gala will also feature the largest representation of Santa Cruz Carnival ever, including the Carnival 2025 queens, Canary Islands artists like Anaé and Zaida Almeida, and the city's Carnival troupes. Directed by Daniel Pages, Radio Televisión Canaria will broadcast the event live across the entire Archipelago.

Youth District (Distrito Joven)

The Youth District program, run by Santa Cruz City Council's Youth and Education department, has new activities this week for young people. These include training, cultural, and sports events that encourage healthy fun, creativity, and active involvement. The schedule takes place in various city venues and includes art workshops, educational activities, and fitness sessions designed to promote interaction, learning, and active use of public spaces.

The activities start today with several training and leisure options. From 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, the Valleseco Community Center will host an Origami Workshop, focusing on creativity and hand skills through paper folding. At the same time, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, the Mascareño Youth House begins a Caricature Drawing Workshop, teaching basic illustration, proportion, and expression. Also, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, the Sports Space opposite Hacienda offers a Functional Training session with dynamic exercises for all levels to improve overall fitness.

Tomorrow, Friday, the program continues with educational and cultural activities. From 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM, the Lázaro Siliuto Youth House will host the Role-Playing Classroom, a space for role-playing games that encourages creativity, storytelling, and teamwork. Also, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM, IES Tomás de Iriarte offers an English Workshop, a hands-on session to improve speaking, understanding, and vocabulary.

Saturday's schedule focuses on physical activity and movement. From 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, the Valleseco Community Center will host a Latin Dance session, practicing rhythms like salsa, bachata, and merengue, combining exercise, coordination, and group enjoyment. In the afternoon, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, the Mascareño Youth House continues with another Caricature Drawing Workshop session, going deeper into drawing techniques and character creation.

Municipal Libraries

Santa Cruz de Tenerife's Municipal Libraries continue to offer a varied cultural and educational program for all ages, promoting reading, community gatherings, and family well-being. This week, the Central Municipal Library and the José Saramago Library in Añaza will host new activities, highlighting their role as lively cultural and social spaces.

Tomorrow, Friday, at 5:30 PM, the Central Municipal Library will hold "Family Stories," an event to encourage reading for children and families. These sessions turn the library into a community meeting place, fostering a love for reading from a young age through storytelling and joint participation from children and adults.

Also this Friday, at 12:30 PM, the José Saramago Library in Añaza will host a Breastfeeding Workshop, led by healthcare professionals from the Añaza Health Center's maternal and child health team. This activity aims to provide information, support, and guidance to mothers and families on breastfeeding in a professional, friendly, and accessible way.

Also tomorrow, at 6:00 PM, the Los Lavaderos Art Room will host the catalog presentation for the exhibition "What Remains to Be." This project focuses on creative processes and offers a space for listening, support, and group reflection on how images help us think about everyday life, bodies, places, and future possibilities.

The exhibition, which doesn't offer fixed answers but instead raises questions and creates connections, comes from the joint work of the PONOS Arte and Estudio 07 artistic residencies at the University of La Laguna's Faculty of Fine Arts. It features works by Alejandro Marrero Rodríguez, Nicolò Michelani, Cecilia Afonso Martín, Ana Carolina López, Mencía Machado Pérez, and Ana Domínguez López, with photographic help from Marc Martín. It is curated by Madeleine Lohrum and Javier Sicilia Rodríguez, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at ULL.

Tomorrow, at 7:00 PM, the Recova Art Center (Room L) will open "TIMEWORN," a new exhibition by Canary Islands artist Manuel H. Reyes. This show features staged photography that explores abandoned places, memory, and the passage of time. The exhibition turns ruins into a beautiful and meaningful space, where forgotten things tell a story through a perspective that blends urban exploration with a tense and emotional kitsch style.

"TIMEWORN" will be open until February 22, from Tuesday to Saturday from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM and from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and on Sundays and holidays from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. It will be closed on Mondays.

TEA (Tenerife Espacio de las Artes)

This afternoon, at 7:00 PM, the TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes museum will screen "Clemencia Hardisson, light in dark times." This documentary by Raúl Jiménez Pastor tells the story of an extraordinary woman who challenged the social, political, and moral rules of her era to fight for justice, freedom, and human dignity. Admission is free until the room is full. The director will introduce the screening with TEA's Head of Audiovisuals, Emilio Ramal. After the film, they will have a discussion with the audience.

Also, from tomorrow until Sunday, with 7:00 PM sessions, the TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes museum will screen "Adiós Cuba." This drama by Rolando Díaz is based on the real experiences of Cubans living outside Cuba in Spain and other countries. Yuliet Cruz, Betiza Bismark, and Frank Moreno lead a cast very familiar with the topic, as all three also left the island. The film won the Audience Award at the Trieste Latin American Film Festival and mixes fiction with documentary-style parts.

The film, which first showed at the Miami Film Festival, tells a story that reflects both personal experiences and the wider process of exile and changing identity. "Adiós Cuba" is shown in its original Spanish version. The director will introduce all three screenings, and on Friday, January 16, after the film, he will join a discussion with TEA's Head of Audiovisuals, Emilio Ramal.

Auditorium

Tomorrow, at 7:30 PM, the Auditorio de Tenerife will host a concert by Moisés P. Sánchez, who will present his new work "Dedication II." Fifteen years after "Dedication" was recorded in New York and released by Universal, the musician returns to his original quartet setup to reflect on his life and artistic journey. This new album, full of energy and emotion, has been released in Germany, premiered at the National Auditorium in Madrid, and is part of an international tour that will include the NDR cycle in Hamburg in February.

Meanwhile, the Auditorio's La Salita will host the play "Violencia" by Diego Garrido Sanz, tomorrow and Saturday at 7:30 PM, and Sunday at 12:00 PM. The play tells the story of Beatriz and her husband Martín meeting the parents of their son's killer. It's an intense exploration of emotional conflict, memory, and the search for meaning. This raw and deeply human story deals with pain, guilt, and the need to understand in order to move forward.

Espacio La Granja

Tomorrow, from 8:00 PM to 9:45 PM, Espacio La Granja will host the performance of "Libros cruzados" (Crossed Books), with tickets costing 10 euros. The play centers on a copy of "Anna Karenina" that moves from person to person, changing the lives of three women. Through literature, the characters look back at their own lives, think about love, work, and loss, and discover how books can enlighten and support life's journeys.

Also at Espacio La Granja, on Saturday, from 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM, "Más allá del pasillo" (Beyond the Hallway) will be presented. This show stars Iván Torres, singer of "Efecto Pasillo" and a presenter for Televisión Canaria. The production combines music and theater in a personal and honest monologue where the artist looks back at over twenty years of his career, revealing the ups and downs of his personal and professional life.

Equipo PARA Cultural Association

Today, at 8:30 PM, the Equipo PARA Cultural Association is organizing "What am I doing here?", a monthly event for life drawing. It's a free activity open to all skill levels, where participants can draw live models using their own materials, encouraging group art practice in a friendly and engaging setting.

In the same cultural space, this Friday, at 8:30 PM, there will be a concert by Guayete. This musical project turns the island's imagery into songs full of identity, reflection, and commitment. With a new artistic name, the musician offers a sound journey that connects cultural roots with modern existential ideas.

On Saturday, the Equipo PARA Cultural Association will host the 6th Horror Island Festival, an event dedicated to underground horror and science fiction films. The evening, starting at 8:30 PM, will feature screenings of the most voted film and short films, with the jury's decision announced that same night. The festival celebrates six years, establishing itself as a unique space for independent genre cinema in Tenerife.

Café Teatro Rayuela

On Friday, January 16, at 9:00 PM, Café Teatro Rayuela will present the "Four Cats" concert. This swing jazz performance by a quartet featuring Fran Rodríguez (tenor sax), Gino Marcelli (piano), Caín Delgado (double bass), and Carlos Pérez (drums) offers a stylish and lively trip through classic swing sounds.

In the same venue, on Saturday, January 17, at 9:00 PM, comedian Ayoze Pérez from La Palma will perform his comedy show "Pal que no haya visto otra cosa está bien" (For those who haven't seen anything else, it's fine). This relatable and fresh monologue shares the comedian's stories from his youth, student days, and his first experiences living away from his home island.

El Desván Blanco Cultural Space

Finally, on Saturday, January 17, at 7:00 PM, El Desván Blanco Cultural Space will host the book launch of "Estratos de la llama" (Strata of the Flame) by Fermín Higuera. The book collects over forty years of the author's writings, exploring thought, dreams, and sound through a poetic approach, creating a thoughtful volume that encourages readers to go beyond conventional thinking.

Nivaria Center

This Saturday, at 6:00 PM, the Nivaria Center will host the "Create and Color" Puzzle Workshop, a fun and creative activity for all ages. Participants are invited to design, color, and assemble their own puzzles, encouraging imagination, manual skills, and shared enjoyment in a family-friendly and interactive setting.