What happens at the body painting contest?

At the Concurso Internacional de Maquillaje Corporal (international body painting contest), professional artists paint live models on the main stage of the carnival. The result is coloured bodies under the spotlights, a gift for any camera.

According to the report on the 2026 edition, the jury looks at line work, light and shadow, and attention to detail. It also judges how well choreography, music and rhythm are woven into the performance.

The contest has been called international since 2022, when a partnership with the World Bodypainting Festival in Austria began. According to the 2025 broadcast, two festival prizes are part of it: a direct place in Las Palmas and a guest appearance with special-effects make-up.

When does the contest take place in 2027?

The Murgas Canarias website lists Maquillaje Corporal for Sunday 14 February 2027. It is a page about the murga contest, not the organiser.

The site gives no venue, time, price or description. It does not disclose a source for its dates either.

The organiser has not confirmed the date so far. The report on the presentation of the carnival dates does not mention the contest either.

The date moves each year: set for 2 March in 2025 but postponed because of the rain pre-alert with no new date, then held on 15 February in 2026. It follows the carnival's overall calendar, so a February date is plausible but unproven.

What else is on at the 2027 carnival?

The 2027 carnival runs from 22 January to 28 February, against 23 January to 1 March in 2026. Héctor Alemán, concejal de Carnaval (city councillor for carnival), and artistic director Josué Quevedo presented the dates on Monday 22 June 2026.

The Gala de la Reina (queen gala) moves to the eve of the Martes de Carnaval (Carnival Tuesday) holiday. The Gala de la Gran Dama moves to a Friday.

There are two drag Fridays in a row. The first weekend belongs to children.

The Gran Cabalgata (grand parade) has its own day now. The Entierro de la Sardina (Burial of the Sardine) falls on a different one.

A television gala chose the poster. It is “Musa” by Ernesto Santana and Nabil Concepción.

The poster beat 22 submitted designs. It therefore stands for the year's motto.

How did the 2026 edition go?

On 15 February 2026, David Salem de la Guardia won on the carnival's main stage. Vivian María Lamolda came second and Yesenia María Martín Martín third, while Sasha Maldonado took the special prize for best show.

The report gave no prize money or number of entrants. A note in the official 2026 programme differs on the date, giving Monday 16 February, so the weekday stays unclear.

The contest, set for Sunday 2 March 2025, was postponed because of the rain pre-alert, with a new date open. According to RTVC, it was shown live on TVCanaria, La Radio Canaria, the RTVC website and the carnival's YouTube channel.

According to RTVC, Minerva Hernández, carnival queen in 2020, and Adolfo Rodríguez hosted the evening. In 2024 first prize went to “La fuerza de la luz” by Silvia Vitali, Glenda Palloti and Federica Lalle, painted on the model Samantha Dona.

What should visitors and entrants do now?

The organiser is the municipal company Promoción de la Ciudad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria S.A. It publishes its own rules (bases) each year, and those for 2025 and 2026 are on the official website.

Anyone wanting to enter in 2027 should look on the official website for the new rules. They do not seem to be online yet, and no entry deadline is known.

The research found no entry price. The contest has so far been broadcast publicly.

There is no guidance from the authorities on getting there or on traffic either. The 2026 edition ran on the main stage.

According to a summary, the organiser may change the venue, date and time. This could not be checked in the text of the rules.

The official programme and rules are due on the official website before the carnival starts on 22 January 2027 with the Desfile Anunciador (opening parade) and the Pregón (opening address). No date for this is known.

A report's page also said the programme could be affected by the general strike. When and to what extent a strike will happen is open.