Entierro de la Sardina: Maspalomas buries Carnival 2026 — after the wildest week in years

No carnival without a funeral. On Sunday the Carnaval Internacional de Maspalomas 2026 closes with the Entierro de la Sardina — the symbolic burial of a giant sardine figure, accompanied by a funeral procession of "widows" in black and a mix of tragicomedy and revelry that is quintessentially Canarian.

Route and times

The funeral procession starts at 7pm from Avenida Estados Unidos and runs to Anexo II in Playa del Ingles. There the sardine is burned amid the ritual wailing of participants — a farewell to carnival and a symbolic fresh start.

Concert: Tribute to Juan Luis Guerra

At 9pm the main stage hosts a tribute concert to Dominican superstar Juan Luis Guerra. The perfect finale for a carnival that refused to be beaten by two storm postponements, a record Cabalgata with 108 floats and a historic Drag Gala.

Looking back: A carnival for the history books

The Carnaval Internacional de Maspalomas 2026, themed "El Circo", will be remembered as one of the most dramatic editions ever. Storm Therese forced two postponements of the Drag Gala and one of the Cabalgata. The Carnaval Canino was cancelled entirely. Yet the south delivered: Drag Avalon was crowned queen, Monica Naranjo brought the house down at the Yumbo, and the Cabalgata rolled through Playa del Ingles on Saturday with 108 floats before an estimated 350,000 spectators.