The Santa Cruz de Tenerife carnival is one of the biggest and most spectacular events of its kind in the World. Every February, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the capital of the largest of the Canary Islands, hosts this historical event, attracting around a million people from everywhere. In 1980 it was declared a Festival Tourist International Interest, by the Secretariat of State for the Tourism and it is one of the most important carnivals of the World. The carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is one of the biggest and most spectacular events of its kind in the World. Every February, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the capital of the largest of the Canary Islands, hosts this historical event, attracting around a million people from everywhere. The celebrations could be declared by UNESCO as Heritage of Mankind in 2009.

The party in the streets of Santa Cruz de Tenerife starts on the Friday before Carnival with a spectacular opening parade, which reaches its height during the night, when thousands of people in fancy dress dance until the early hours of the next day. The party continues night after night until Ash Wednesday. That day, people of Santa Cruz de Tenerife celebrate the "entierro de la sardina" (burial of the sardine) and with this event carnival is officially over. However, the party starts up again the following weekend, known as the weekend of "piñata".

It has two differenced parts: The Official Carnival, and the Carnival in the Street. The official one has more than a hundred groups with over fifty components each one: murgas; comparsas; rondallas and musical groups. For the Carnival in the Street, there is just the participation of the people in the party.

Thousands of people come each day to the streets to participate wearing a disguise. Dance with the local orchestra's tunes, the Caribbean rhythms, electronic music and music of the year betting throughout the night. People "hesitate" and enjoy the streets every night for over a week.