2020 - Once upon a time

The wonderful worlds of Carnival and fairytales come together in the form of multicolour pop-up book on the fiesta’s poster, the work of Venezuelan designer and illustrator, Hansel González.

Canarian interior designer, Sergio Macías, was the mind behind the 2020 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival’s stage, following the allegory “Érase una vez..." (Once Upon a Time…).

A majestic mirror on Santa Catalina’s stage invites the city to fall under Carnival’s spell and become a part of its tale.

References to traditional stories, famous faces throughout Carnival’s history, and elements such as a forest, castle and cathedral all made an appearance at the fiesta’s epicentre, captivating Carnival’s spectators.

Well-known Canarian television host, Roberto Herrera, heralded the 2020 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival.

His bond with Carnival in general and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in particular make him the perfect candidate to inaugurate the fiesta. Over the years, Roberto Herrera has been closely linked to Carnival, being the first host ever of the Drag Queen Gala back in 1998, and continues to add experience to his track record of hosting this international event on twelve different occasions, including the 2020 Gala with co-hosts Santi Millán and Pilar Rumeu. On top of this, he’s hosted a Queen Gala and thirteen Drag Queen Gala preselections.

Minerva Hernández was crowned as the 2020 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Queen of the Carnival. A fairytale regent who paraded with the fantasy "Vida" (Life) designed by Joshua Quevedo Reyes, sponsored by Multiópticas.

Minerva is a 26-year-old from Fuerteventura, where she lived her entire life until moving to the capital of Gran Canaria to study law, at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. She is currently studying a master’s degree and, during the little spare time she has, pursues one of her main passions: carnival.

Borja Casillas really entered into the role that has made him famous: as Sethlas, he put on a spectacular show, which drew several rounds of applause from the audience.

As well as his staging, dancing and impressive costume, he performed several pirouettes, surprisingly demanding for a drag artist in his high platform soles. But he pulled it off to perfection, with his fantasy “Si la tentación es hermosa imagínate el pecado” (If The Temptation is Beautiful, just Imagine The Sin), a performance sponsored by Escuela de Hostelería Europea.

"Once upon a time, there was a woman who managed to be chosen Grand Dame of the most popular and craziest festival in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. His name, Chari Alvarado".

The representative of Restaurante Hermanos García II and Ferretería José Jiménez Ventura was the first to occupy a place on the throne of the Royal Carnival Court. Her fantasy, “Si puedes soñarlo, puedes vivirlo” (If You can Dream It, You can Live It), was designed by Kevin Rodríguez and Enrique González, and along with her "royal" appointment, the Grand Dame received an award given by Hebe, Centro de Envejecimiento Activo, a 500-euro check for care treatments.

A sweet, friendly and unruly Snow White took her place on the throne of the 2021 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival. The Junior Queen wore the fantasy "Del libro de los cuentos quiero salir y este reino carnavalero descubrir” (I Want to Escape from This Story Book and Discover the Carnival Kingdom), designed by Rafael Déniz and Rosa Montesdeoca on behalf of Centro de Ocio Infantil Diver Play, Ballet Silvia Barrera and Soy Model Management.

Once again, the song contest awards went to Telde, El Carrizal and Agüimes, in 2020 in this order. The three usual murgas on the list: Los Nietos de SaryMánchez, first prize in the Carnival Murga contest; Los Legañosos, second prize and Los Serenquenquenes, third place after having won the award in 2018.

Los Nietos de SaryMánchez took the prize home after standing ovations both in the final as well as throughout the contest. The young murga had their debut at the 2013 Carnival, where they managed to make third place. Since then, they have always held a place among the winners of the fiesta until they won first place in 2015 and then again in 2017 in the performance category, a prize they also won in 2020.

For the fourth year in a row, Kisamba became the invictus dance group. The comparsa from the Arenales district won their fourth consecutive double triumph. A first prize in performance and costume yet again consolidate one of the most sound comparsas of the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival.

Lianceiros Junior won the performance award and Chiramay, the costume award in the 2020 children's comparsa contest.

Lianceiros Junior's performance “Con la magia del carnaval despertó Notre Dame” (With The Magic of Carnival, Notre Dame Awakened), directed by choreographer Cirenia De León Rivero, won the jury over, while Daniel Tejero Déniz's costume, titled “El carnaval vive en mí” (Carnival Lives in Me) for Chiramay, took home the best junior costume award.

Victor Troung Ngoc, with his fantasy “La bestia y el planeta azul” (The Beast and The Blue Planet), which he himself designed, spread his wings on the stage of Santa Catalina to win the first prize in the adult costume contest in the individual category, while the 14 components of Ukniks de HipHop by Livich, who performed with the fantasy “Si Walt Disney levantara la cabeza” (If Walt Disney were here) won first place in the group category.

A drag dog, the royal fairytale Carnival mascot. Drag Can La Obsesionada, a giant poodle who’s no stranger to the contest, took home the first prize in the tenth edition of the Canine Carnival, an award that is equivalent to four months of True Instinct Natural Nutrition dog food from Nature's Variety.