Summer Carnival gives Puerto de la Cruz another chance to fill its streets and seafront with feathers, drums and dancing. The familiar Carnival spirit arrives in warmer weather, with local groups and performers sharing the celebration with visitors.
Its shape can change: the 2025 edition spread across Costa Martiánez and Playa Jardín, while the 2026 celebration brought an exhibition to the Mercado Municipal and a big public day to Paseo de Martiánez. Both have finished. This guide explains what you might enjoy and how to plan for the next confirmed edition on our Events page.
Summer Carnival at a glance
| What | A later-in-the-year celebration of Puerto de la Cruz Carnival, with a programme that changes each edition. |
|---|---|
| When | September in 2025 and 2026. Dates for the next edition have not been confirmed here. |
| Where | Venues vary. Recent editions used Costa Martiánez, Playa Jardín, Paseo de Martiánez and the Mercado Municipal. |
| Highlights | Look for comparsas, percussion, performances, a parade or gala and activities for families, subject to that year's programme. |
| Entry | Check each event separately; admission, reservations and seating arrangements can differ. |
| Latest programme | See our Events page for confirmed dates, places and access details. |
A second taste of Carnival
The main Puerto de la Cruz Carnival belongs to the winter calendar. Summer Carnival invites those groups and audiences back later in the year for a shorter, warmer celebration. You may recognise the feathers and rhythms, but you should expect a programme of its own rather than a repeat of the winter parades and galas.
In 2025, the council described three days of comparsas, choreographed groups, batucadas, acrobatics, orchestras, DJs and drag artists. Some moments were staged inside Costa Martiánez, while an outdoor closing celebration at Playa Jardín brought percussion and dance into the public space. In 2026, an exhibition of Carnival outfits at the market offered a quieter way to appreciate the craft before Saturday's performances.
That is the charm of this celebration: you can enjoy a full evening show, catch the sound of drums on a promenade or bring the family for daytime activities. The mix, duration and locations are decided anew each year. Follow the current programme if there is one act you particularly want to see.
Parades, galas and music
A pasacalles brings Carnival into the open, as performers, costumes and music move past the spectators. The 2026 parade was part of an afternoon-to-evening programme on Paseo de Martiánez. The route and even the presence of a parade vary; wait for the year's map and start time before choosing where to stand.
Galas and shows let the costumes and performers take the stage. The 2025 Gala Transgresora at Costa Martiánez featured drag artists, a comparsa and choreography, followed on the next day by Festival Diversas, with music, humour, acrobatics and dance. The 2026 Summer Carnival gala took a different form on Paseo de Martiánez. A seated show can feel quite different from watching a street parade, and access may be different too.
For a sense of the 2026 rhythm, the main public day mixed midday salsa and children's activities with an early evening Carnival race, a pasacalles, the gala and a late DJ session. Those were the 2026 events, not a template for the next year. Read our past 2026 programme if you would like to see how one edition came together.
The groups behind the colour
Look beyond the headline stage and you will see the work of local Carnival groups. Comparsas bring coordinated costumes, dancing and percussion; batucadas turn a street into a moving rhythm section. Choreographic groups, musicians and drag performers add their own style. The crowd can be as expressive as the stage: some people dress up completely, while others wear a bright accessory and enjoy watching.
For the 2025 Playa Jardín closing event, the council named Danzarines Canarios, Essavan, Barabere, Son Bahía, Bahía, Sabaiba and Guayota Drums among the participants. These names belong to that edition, but they show why the event can be much more than a single show. It is also a chance for visiting families to meet the energy of the town's Carnival tradition in a relaxed seaside setting.
If you want photographs, give performers room to move and take a moment to watch without a camera as well. A nearby percussion group can be loud; consider ear protection for younger children.
Family time and other ways to join in
Summer Carnival can work well as a family outing, particularly when an edition includes daytime workshops, a children's show or music before the late-night gala. In 2026, children's activities and a separate family performance filled part of the Saturday programme at Paseo de Martiánez. The same edition tried a playful Mascarita, pon la toalla Carnival race. Check current registration rules if a similar activity returns; watching a race is different from entering one.
An exhibition can offer a gentler introduction to the costumes. The 2026 Mercado Municipal display ran on the two days before the main outdoor celebration. If a future edition includes an exhibition, it could fit around a daytime visit to the market and leave your evening free for the music. Opening hours should be checked for the particular display.
For children, pick one or two highlights rather than trying to stay for an entire day. Bring water, sun protection and something comfortable to wear, and leave the louder or later performances for another visit if that suits your family better.
Where Summer Carnival happens
There is no single Summer Carnival venue to memorise. The 2025 opening shows were at Costa Martiánez, while the closing groups performed around Playa Jardín. In 2026, the exhibition was at the Mercado Municipal and the main outdoor day at Paseo de Martiánez near the eastern seafront. These locations are examples from two completed editions, not directions for the next one.
Check the exact entrance and viewing area for each activity. A gala inside Costa Martiánez is a different visit from a free-standing crowd on a promenade; a market exhibition may have separate opening hours. Even when two events share the same neighbourhood, a short walk between them is worth allowing for, especially with children or if the streets are busy.
The seafront makes a beautiful setting for the evening performances. It can also be breezy after sunset. If the current programme places an event near the water, check the organiser's site information and respect any barriers or changes to pedestrian access.
Plan your visit
Start with the confirmed event listings to find the next dates, locations and any day-by-day timetable. Decide whether you would most enjoy a procession, a stage show or daytime activities, then check that specific event for admission, reservations, seating and accessibility. A public parade and a gala do not automatically have the same conditions.
Arrive a little ahead of any start time if you want to watch from a comfortable spot. Roads and walking routes may be altered near performances, and the centre can get crowded in the evening. If you need step-free access or a quieter viewing place, use the current venue and route information before travelling.
Summer weather is part of the pleasure, but a long day outdoors calls for shade, water and sun protection. A light layer can help when a show continues after dark. Transport and parking arrangements can change with the venue, so plan your journey home before the last act.
Enjoy the Carnival atmosphere
You do not need a full costume to join the mood. A splash of colour is enough, and comfortable shoes will serve you better if you follow a pasacalles or move between sites. The percussion, feathers and choreography reward a little unhurried time: watch a group gather, listen as the drums approach and leave enough space for everyone to pass.
For a first visit with children, a daytime activity and a short look at the parade can be a satisfying combination. If you enjoy performance and drag, check which evening show is actually announced for the edition you will attend. The 2025 Gala Transgresora and Festival Diversas were memorable parts of that year's programme, but their return should never be assumed.
Summer Carnival gives you a taste of the town's wider Carnival culture. If it leaves you wanting more, explore the main Carnival 2027 guide for the separate winter celebration.
Follow PuertoDeLaCruz.info in Google
If our Puerto de la Cruz updates are useful to you, you can add PuertoDeLaCruz.info as one of your preferred sources in Google.
Find the next Summer Carnival programme
Visit our Events page for the next confirmed edition and individual listings. The 2026 article above is a past programme; check new dates, places, admission and access details before making travel plans.