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Watch Las Palmas Carnival Queen Gala

17 years ago

I've just found out that the spectacular show of the Carnival Queen election in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (the next island to where I live) held on Feb 13th is now available to watch on internet, and you can see it full screen over RTE, Spanish television.

The whole gala is 185 minutes long and although you can see the introduction and some of the floor show, you might get tired of listening to the 'murgas', or satirical clowns singing their political humour in Spanish and want to push ahead to the main event. All costumes are incredible though and people are rehearsing during the whole year.

You can slide ahead the little red circle on the dial at the bottom of the picture ahead to around number 85 (minutes) if you want to skip a part and get to the main event. Some of their costumes weigh up to 400 lbs, so they have little wheels underneath so the weight goes on the floor and they push themselves around in their 'dress'.

Tonight is the another of the same type of enormous spectacle here on this island of Tenerife, when they elect the queen for here.

And I'm sure the show will be available here on this website in a day or two.

The people dancing in the floor shows are all local amateurs and not professionals, so you will see some oddly shaped women in tights and feathers! LOL.

Everyone gets dressed up for carnival here, or carnaval, as it is spelled in Spanish. Reina de Carnaval - Carnival Queen.

Link is below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Grand Gala of Las Palmas Carnival Queen

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Comments (7)

dedtired
17 years ago
I didn;t have time to watch it all but its very impressive. Amazing that they are amateurs I will watch it at home tonight so I can turn up the volume. One question -- when you get between 85 and 90 there is a guy wearing a costume that looks like a certain portion of the male anatomy. Could that be??

By the way, the Philadelphia Orchestra performed on the Canary Islands a couple weeks ago. Any chance that you went to a concert?
canarybird01
Original Author
17 years ago
Lol...yes Pam it is what it looks like! Carnival is the time when fun is poked at all that is considered lewd, rude or unspeakable. Nothing is considered above board and you see some of the most outlandish costumes, making fun of people and things which are respected during the rest of the year. Sort of an escape valve that keeps people in a good humour.

I think it's great that people can laugh at their prejudices and make fun of the faults of their community leaders as well, which is exactly what those clown groups are doing. Some of the people they are mocking are sitting in the front row, such as the governor, mayor and city councillors. I found that body part item that you mentioned around 78 - 79 LOL.

SharonCb
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canarybird01
Original Author
17 years ago
Oops...almost forgot...no I didn't get to that concert. I wonder which island they went to.
dedtired
17 years ago
I'll add a link to the orcehstra's web site and it says where they were -- perhaps two locations on the Canary Islands?

The show you linked to is just amazing! What a production. I've been sitting here watching for quite awhile. I had to see who was La Reina. She is spectacular, as is her dress.

In a way it is a combination of the old Miss America contest and Philadelphia's Mummers!

Here is a link that might be useful: Phila Orchestra
dedtired
17 years ago
And here's one of the Mummers from a fancy brigade. Not quite as attractive as La Reina, but the costumes are similar!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1441429}}
canarybird01
Original Author
17 years ago
Pam ...I just was reading about the Mummers and although the Mummers' Parade doesn't seem to have originated from pre-lent carnival celebrations, it looks like it's a great event in which everyone participates and where thousands of dollars are spent on costumes and elaborate outfits.
Here they also need the sponsorship of large businesses and organizations to help pay for the costumes.

Last night the election of the carnival queen for this island was held in the capital city of Santa Cruz, where the Philadephia Orchestra did play in the new auditorium on January 29 and 30. That's about a 40 minute drive across the island from the city where we live and I haven't been yet to any event there. The other city where the Philadelphia orchestra played was Las Palmas, on the neighbouring island of Gran Canaria.
from the Tenerife auditorium schedule showing the listing of the Philadelphia orchestra.
And
of the new Tenerife auditorium where they played. It's located on the edge of the sea, is meant to look like a giant wave and is an amazing sight when lit up at night.
It was designed by the Spanish architect from Valencia, Santiago Calatrava.

But last night's event had 18 candidates wearing the most lavish outfits I've seen and I imagine that the YouTube video of that will be out in a couple of days.
of last night's winning costume. If you look closely you can see the girl in the middle. LOL. Most of these outfits cost the same as a new car.

Here's another queen candidate costume:

...and another from 2005:

As the dancing groups are made up of local non-professional people, they have to train during the whole year:

{{gwi:1441435}}

They even have a carnival queen contest for the senior citizen women....here referred to as 'the third age'..la tercera edad :

{{gwi:1441436}}

I've put a few more photos from last night's TV queen gala with my notes over on my Tenerife blog.

SharonCb

Here is a link that might be useful: Tenerife Journal
lakeguy35
17 years ago
Sharon, thanks for sharing with us again this year. I loved watching the vid and checking out the pics. I remember the first time you shared this years ago and it sitll just amazes me. You DO live in a wonderful and beautiful city/country.

David

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