Tenerife: Carnival Tuesday Holiday Varies Locally
Carnival Tuesday on February 17th will be a local holiday for many in Tenerife and across the Canary Islands, with 20 municipalities in Tenerife and 46 across the archipelago choosing the date, affecting work and school schedules.
After celebrating the Virgin of Candelaria on Monday, February 2nd – a public holiday across Tenerife – many people are already looking ahead to their next day off.
Even though February is a short month, a significant number of people in Tenerife still have another important day off: Carnival Tuesday, on February 17th.
However, unlike the Candelaria holiday which was island-wide, Carnival Tuesday isn't a public holiday everywhere in Tenerife. It's one of two local holidays that each town council can choose every year. While most councils pick Carnival Tuesday, there are some exceptions. It's good to know these to avoid confusion with work and school schedules.
The General Directorate of Labor has approved the choices made by local councils, confirming that Carnival Tuesday is indeed the most popular local holiday. In Tenerife, 20 municipalities have chosen this date so residents can enjoy the carnival celebrations.
This day off is in addition to the 14 official public holidays that are paid and cannot be 'made up' by working extra hours. Of these 14, 12 are set by the national government and the Canary Islands regional government, with the remaining two chosen by local town councils.
The holiday calendar in the Canary Islands is a mix of traditions, with each town having its own unique dates. For instance, Tenerife's capital celebrates May 4th (Day of the Cross), but other areas like Tegueste or Icod de los Vinos observe Saint Mark's Day on April 25th.
Jéssica de León, who heads the Department of Tourism and Employment, confirms that these dates become official once published in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands (BOC). It's important to remember that besides local holidays, Tenerife also has regional holidays, such as Holy Thursday and Good Friday (April 2nd and 3rd), and Canary Islands Day on May 30th.
Across the Canary Islands, Carnival Tuesday is a huge event. A total of 46 municipalities, including major cities like Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Puerto del Rosario, have chosen February 17th as a holiday. This widespread holiday affects not just the economy, but also transport and school schedules across the islands, as schools traditionally adjust their non-teaching days to this important festival.
If you live in one town but work in another, the advice is straightforward: always check the holiday calendar for the place where your job is, as that's the one that determines your official day off.