Photos: Sergio Betancort
Masked people, tribes of all types, Juan Medina as 'Charlotte', groups, individuals, young and old all wanted to join the Grand Parade of Carnival held on Monday afternoon in Arrecife. This year, as a novelty, the batucadas, comparsas and murgas paraded first and after them the floats. An initiative of the Councilor for Festivities, David Duarte, which was applauded by the collective groups and attendees since "each one has the prominence it deserves."
From 6:00 p.m., the parade started from the Sports City, passing through the Vía Medular until reaching the Fairgrounds. A Carnival where the participation of carnival-goers from various points of the Island stood out. The data offered by the city council speaks of more than five thousand people, who toured part of the city without regretting incidents.
The Children's Queen of Carnival, Aynara Perdomo, the winning Drag Lucks, the winning murgas of the different categories, as well as comparsas, batucadas and traditional groups such as Los Buches, Los Diabletes de Teguise and the charanga Los Gruñones have also participated.
Pedro Vizcaíno, director of the Sur Caliente comparsa, praised the decision that the collective groups parade in front of the floats: "it gives us the opportunity to show off more and be more organized, and the people who see us appreciated it." On the other hand, the Diabletes de Teguise highlighted the curiosity of the tourists who came to the parade. "Carnival is the best tourist promotion for our city," he added. Juana Saavedra, from the murga Las Revoltosas, said with good humor that "Carnival is addictive, every year I say I'm leaving, and every year I come back."
As for the floats, the first to leave was that of the Arrecife Senior Center, one of the liveliest of the night. Then the rest until reaching 37, since one of them could not leave due to a last-minute incident.
The mayor Eva de Anta, disguised as the allegory of the Carnival 'Tribes of the World' highlighted "the Carnival in the street as a meeting point to enjoy with acts that we recover and with novelties that are included to improve." Together with the mayor, the Councilor for Festivities and Local Police David Duarte, who was showing the tension typical of an event of these characteristics "there will be time to rest, now we must be here ensuring the safety and well-being of all the people who have come to Arrecife."
The Councilor for Cleaning, Tomás Fajardo, with a spectacular colored wig, highlighted the intention to "leave everything clean the next morning, since we must be the first to set an example."
The Arrecife Carnival enters the final stretch. Tuesday afternoon will be dedicated to the little ones with the Children's Carnival and on Wednesday the Sardine is buried with departure from the Town Hall.