The 2026 Carnival Queen will lead a parade in London on 31 August wearing her spectacular ‘Icónica’ costume by designer Alexis Santana
Santa Cruz de Tenerife’s 2026 Carnival Queen, Carla Castro, will take the Santa Cruz Carnival to London later this month when she takes part in the Notting Hill Carnival on 31 August.
Castro will lead a colourful parade accompanied by a batucada percussion group, while wearing Icónica, the spectacular costume created by designer Alexis Santana.
The appearance forms part of the Santa Cruz City Council’s international promotion of the Carnival, with the aim of raising its profile as both a cultural celebration and a major attraction for visitors.
Santa Cruz Carnival heads to London
The collaboration follows the involvement of the CEO of the Notting Hill Carnival as a member of the jury that selected Santa Cruz’s Carnival Queen earlier this year.
Notting Hill Carnival is regarded as Europe’s largest street festival, attracting more than one million people and generating significant international media coverage.
For Santa Cruz, the London appearance provides an opportunity to showcase one of Tenerife’s best-known celebrations to a huge international audience.
The British market is particularly important to Tenerife’s tourism sector, making the event an obvious place to put the Santa Cruz Carnival in front of potential visitors.
‘Icónica’ gets an international audience
For Carla Castro, the opportunity is about more than simply travelling to London.
She described representing Santa Cruz and its Carnival at Notting Hill as a great honour and a chance to share the city’s Carnival tradition with an international audience.
Designer Alexis Santana will also see his work presented outside the Canary Islands after months of preparation behind Icónica.
The appearance gives the costume a rather different stage from the one it was originally designed for. Instead of Santa Cruz, it will be taking over the streets of west London.
The participation is expected to provide another boost to the international profile of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival, which continues to look well beyond the Canary Islands when it comes to promoting the celebration.