CARNIVAL IN SPAIN

The week before Lent is Carnival time in Spain. There is no one way that carnival is celebrated in Spain - each city has a slightly different style.

The most important and well known are celebrated in Tenerife (Canary Islands) and Cádiz (Andalucia)

CÁDIZTENERIFE

GIJÓN

Tenerife, Canary Islands

The most glamorous of the carnival celebrations, this is the carnival that most resembles the big event in Rio. As Tenerife is closer to Africa than Europe, the weather will be warm.

Love of fiestas is an essential part of the make-Love of fiestas is an essential part of the make-up of the Canary Islanders, who celebrate up of the Canary Islanders, who celebrate Carnival on all seven islands. Just as this island Carnival on all seven islands. Just as this island holds the largest mountain [The holds the largest mountain [The Teide volcano] in volcano] in Spain, there is no rival in Spain to Tenerife's Spain, there is no rival in Spain to Tenerife's massive Carnival celebration.massive Carnival celebration.

The Carnival Santa Cruz de Tenerife is The Carnival Santa Cruz de Tenerife is often listed as among the world's often listed as among the world's greatest annual festivals, and the greatest annual festivals, and the natives consider their celebration second natives consider their celebration second only to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. By most only to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. By most measures, Santa Cruz de Tenerife hosts measures, Santa Cruz de Tenerife hosts the largest, most impressive carnival in the largest, most impressive carnival in Spain.Spain.

The main events of the festival begin a week before Ash Wednesday, but the season starts months before, as groups prepared themes and costumes for the great party. The Carnival officially begins with the election of the carnival queen. There are many flamboyant processions by Carnival groups, fancy-dress parades starring Brazilian samba schools and fantastic costumes, street musicians, a cabalgata (horse parade), keen chorus and musical dance competitions -- all reaching a climax in the arena on the Tuesday.

Cadiz, Andalucia

The carnival in Cadiz has a healthy dose of music and comedy added to the mix.

Cadiz is famous for the sense of humour of its citizens and the age-old Carnival where authority, politicians, celebrities and the church are parodied and ridiculed with unparalleled skill and wit in comic song. The central figures here are the choirs, or agrupaciones, which are groups of between three and forty singers. 

The Falla's Contest is a Music festival held in the Gran Teatro Falla before Carnival, it is a relatively serious competition as the show is televised across Spain. Competition is keen, and contestants spend months in preparation.

The most popular type of group is the chirigotas, choirs normally of ten unison or close-harmony singers, accompanied by bombo, caja (drum, box - used as a percussion instrument) and guitar. Their repertoire is the most satirical of the different types of groups and the literary quality of the songs can be very high (they may be written by local authors). Only a few musical forms such as the tango or pasodoble are used, so that everyone knows the tune and can concentrate on the words.

In Gijón, our city, Carnival is called “Antroxu”

This year, in the school we have chosen “WATER” as a subject to disguise

C.P RAMÓN MENÉNDEZ PIDAL

GIJON-SPAIN -FEBRUARY 2009