Fuerteventura Embraces Visitors For The Island’s Carnival Season.

Springtime sees this beautiful Canary Island dress up, celebrate and dance till dawn.

Carnivals were temporarily abolished in mainland Spain under General Franco’s rule for over four decades. However in Fuerteventura, they continued unabashed to this very day due to the people’s indomitable spirit and love of a great party.

From March 5^th to 13^th in Puerto del Rosario and from March 16^th to 27^th in Corralejo parades featuring extravagantly decorated floats adorned with lavishly costumed locals wind their way through the towns’ ancient streets.

Local fiestas spring up en-route wherever residents and tourists congregate to watch the colourful spectacle with each village in the area decorating their own float in their own inimitable style.

But the priority is on having fun, so with masks, capes, face-paint, fishnets and fedoras, a wild, random procession of conquistadors and showgirls, pirates, pharaohs and clowns, rolls loudly through each town to the accompaniment of music and cheering.

In this happy atmosphere of spontaneity and informality, there’s a sense that anything goes with funfairs, culinary festivals and fascinating traditional ceremonies of thanksgiving, that give way to parties that last for days.

Other attractions include Puerto del Rosario’s raft-race and the election of a Carnival Queen, plus various children’s events and spectacular firework displays. After each town’s parade, party-goers enjoy nights of alfresco music and dancing that carry them through till dawn.

There are plenty of good hotels and great value holiday villas in Fuerteventura for anyone wishing to experience the wonders of these festivals.