Carnival Characters

All of these celebrations are blessed with the presence of Santa Cruz de Tenerife's key Carnival characters, who were born of the creative imagination and materials used in traditional masquerades. The people of Santa Cruz have taken it on themselves to create characters that people look out for during the various events, as they have done for decades, and which they have come to recognise as their own.

These characters are or have included the endearing Charlie Chaplin and her wife, Fidel Castrol, Harpo – the silent Marx brother –, Mrs Croqueta and Mr Ciruelo, Miss Peggy, La Lecherita (the milkmaid), Cantinflas and the fantastic couple: Michael Jackson and Chiquito de Santa Cruz. With their great costumes and lively attitude, they all show their love for the genuine Santa Cruz Carnival.

As well as these long-standing characters, there are disguises that are more fleetingly popular thanks to their ability to surprise others and evoke feelings or places that everyone can relate to. These costumes are a resounding success one year and are replaced at the next Carnival by new contemporary impersonations. These are the ones that, without doubt, carnival-goers talk about with their friends when they sum up the celebrations and list their favourite costumes: they are the anonymous kings of the Street Carnival.