Carnival in the Gran Canarias is a “Grand Affair”.. The key nights are the drag queen competition (usually the last Thursday) and the burial of the sardine (the last Sunday), also the all-night street parties. Expect thousands upon thousands of revelers for each event. On the busier days you’ll be hard-pushed to find that many Spanish not dressed in costume, everyone really gets in the carnival mood here.

• 13th - Election of the Carnival Queen (evening & all night party)
• 18th - Selecting the Drag Queen contestants (evening)
• 20th - Election of the Drag Queen (evening then all night party)
• 21st - The Big Parade (from around 4pm then all night)
• 27th - Funeral Party of the Sardine (by evening then all night)
• 28th - Burial of the Sardine (evening and all night)

Carnival 2009 dates - Playa del Ingles / Maspalomas
12th - 22nd March