Photos: Sergio Betancort
The Arrecife carnival began with great rhythm thanks to the Villa Pipol batucada, which sported a design inspired by ancient Greece. A large crowd followed the batucada from Calle Real, dancing to the rhythm of carnival sounds until they reached the Islas Canarias park, completely filling the area reserved for the public.
Following this, the 31 women who are part of the Las Revoltosas musical group this year took to the stage. The director and president, Aurea Mauri, was in charge of reading the proclamation, a proclamation with a strong local flavor that became a chant to the city of Arrecife. The reading was interrupted by applause from the audience on several occasions.
Once the reading was concluded, the mayor of the city, Enrique Pérez Parrilla, and the councilor of festivities, Miguel Angel Ferrer, took to the stage. The mayor asked for three wishes for the carnivals that were beginning: good weather, joy, and much prudence. To conclude the act, the mayor presented a trophy as a souvenir of their participation to Las Revoltosas of San Bartolomé as heralds of the Arrecife carnival 2008 and to celebrate their silver anniversary.
This year, the parade of the heralds and politicians from the town hall was eliminated. Among the public officials were the Vice President of the Cabildo, Fabián Martín, the Senator Marcos Hernaández, and different councilors from the capital's town hall.