Spring is in the air and the fruit trees are in bloom… at least on the south of the island where the country roads between Arguineguín and Soria are infused with the magical smells of orange blossom and citrus. I hope you are ready for a busy weekend because there are plenty of events to go out to and explore. Saturday will likely be awash with green and fiddlers for the infamous St.Patrick’s Day celebrations. Elsewhere will be a wine night, rally, carnival festivities, artisan´s fair, cheese fair, watercress fair, and plenty more besides… Enjoy this splendid sunny weekend on Gran Canaria.
FRIDAY 16 MARCH, TELDE
NOCHE DE LOS VINOS
Wineries of Gran Canaria and various restaurants of the Open Commercial Area offer magnificent tastings at popular prices of 1 & 2€ this Friday night, in an event centered around the Plaza de San Juan from 20:00 onward with live music performances and activities for the occasion.
FRIDAY 16 MARCH, SAN FERNANDO MASPALOMAS
4th BODYPAINTING Carnival event at CC BELLAVISTA
Shopping center Bellavista is having a live body painting contest on Friday, starting at 11:00 in the morning. See 12 artists creating their masterpieces in front of your eyes. The Gala and prizes at 17:00
16-25 MARCH, MASPALOMAS
FERIA DE ARTESANÍA PRIMAVERSUR
The 8th southern spring artisan fair by the FEDAC association is set once again in the idyllic surroundings of the lighthouse of Maspalomas.
The fair will run between 16-25 March.
Open every day from 10:00 to 19:00 and is the perfect opportunity to see works by some of the best artisan craftspeople of the Canary Islands; ceramics, wood, metal, leather, textile, glass and recycled materials among others in a magnificent combination of tradition and design.
Maspalomas Lighthouse
From March 16 to 25 2018
Hours from 10:00 to 19:00
17-18 MARCH, SANTA LUCIA DE TIRAJANA
SANTA LUCIA CARNIVAL
The Carnival in Vecindario are coming to an end. This year´s theme is “Television: Do not change the channel, we are of carnival”
On Saturday The Mogollón party and procession. With a route from Cruce de Sardina (by the post office) through Avenida de Canarias to El Doctoral, starting at 18:30. An after party at 22.00 in Plaza San Rafael will feature music from the orchestras Armonía and Star Music.
On Sunday its all about Carnival with the family with many activities.
Starting at 11.00 on the Pedestrian area of Avenida de Canarias; Bouncy castles, workshops and various activities.
12:00 “Cabalgatilla” with all the carnival dance and music groups, Drag winner 2018, mascaritas etc. the main parade starts at 12:00 and travels from Doctoral to the Pedestrian area on Avenida de Canarias.
13;00 Burning of the Sardine and a pyrotechnic show at Plaza San Rafael
SATURDAY 17 MARCH, TEROR
TEROR CARNIVAL
Family Carnival day
at 12:00 funeral procession for the Sardine from the Plaza del Puente del Pino to the Plaza de Sintes
at 13:15 Carnival Concert with “La Trova” at Plaza de Sintes
From 16:00-18:00 Children’s activities and workshops on Plaza de Sintes
at 18:00 Murgas performance at Plaza de Sintes.
at 20:00 a high heels Obstacle course, by teams of 3 members. Calle Real – Plaza del Pino
at 21:00 Burning of the Sardine at Plaza de Sintes followed by a concert at 21:30 and a after party
SATURDAY 17 MARCH, SANTA BRIGIDA
RALLY VILLA DE SANTA BRIGIDA 2018
Rally this weekend and this time the 34th dition of the Rally Santa Brigida. And when there is a rally going on it also means road closures in the area. The road will be closed 30 minutes before the start of each of stages. On Saturday there will be 7 stages, totalling 70,78 km and you can find the route map of the rally here ,
TC1 Higuera Canaria – La Atalaya (7,71 km), 10:00
TC2 Llanos de María Rivera – Pino Santo – Los Silos (15,00 km), 10:30
TC3 Higuera Canaria – La Atalaya (7,71 km), 12:30
TC4 Llanos de María Rivera – Pino Santo – Los Silos (15,00 km), 13:00
TC5 La Atalaya – La Gavia (5,18 km), 15:00
TC6 Llanos de María Rivera – Pino Santo – Los Silos (15,00 km), 16:00
TC7 La Atalaya – La Gavia (5,18 km), 16:40
SATURDAY 17 MARCH, GALDÁR
IV Feria del Coleccionismo de Gran Canaria
This Saturday, the “IV Gran Canaria Collectables Fair” in Galdár. From 10:00 to 19:00 in Plaza de Santiago, you will find all kind of antiques; memorabilia, toys, coins, stamps, and many more curious objects.
The town of Gáldar was once one of the two ancient capitals of the island before the Spanish invaded, conquered and took over.
This will be a local fair, but possibly a great chance to find some authentic bargains and visit one of the lovelier parts of the north.
SATURDAY 17 MARCH, LAS PALMAS
MUSICANDO
Boleros, fado and traditional Canarian music come together from March 17 to June 2 in the third year of the Musicando program. Germán López opens the series on Saturday, March 17. All nine concerts are to be held in the Parque Doramas auditorium in Las Palmas, starting at 21:00 and are free entry until full.
Germán López, accompanied by his band, will be in charge of opening the program on Saturday, just a week before his debut in Istanbul and after having completed two successful tours of the United States and China with guitarist Antonio Toledo. Timple (a traditional 5-string mini guitar that is plucked; originating in the Canary Islands ) is essential to traditional Canarian music, German López has managed to approach other genres such as jazz and flamenco without losing his identity as a composer and a performer.
SATURDAY 17 MARCH, GRAN CANARIA
ST.PATRICK’S DAY
All Irish bars ( and many others ) on the island will have special day celebrations on Saturday.
Here are few ideas where there is for sure some good vibes and celebrations :
In Playa del Ingles, the big one is going to be in the “Irish centre” the Shopping center Aguila Roja
Pub Durty Nellys in Aqua de la Perra, Puerto Rico
The Old Brogue in shopping center Playa del Cura
Las Palmas : St. Patrick’s Day in el Mercado del Puerto starting at 17:00
An in Playa de Mogán Jungle Rock will be giving away Free Beer!
SUNDAY 18 MARCH, FIRGAS
FIESTA DE BERRO
Villa de Firgas are celebrating their traditional “Fiesta del Berro de Firgas”, “watercress fair”, an event that aims to promote local products and gastronomy, with special attention to watercress as a product of enormous agricultural value and linked to gastronomy across the island.
The fair takes place at Plaza San Roque and on Avenida de La Constitución and will have the participation of local entrepreneurs, farmers and artisans,from across the northern regions of Gran Canaria, with different gastronomic, agricultural and craft products.
The fair will be enlivened by music performance by the “Los 600” and is from 10:00 until 15:00
SUNDAY 18 MARCH, MOGÁN
CARRERA POPULAR ARGUINEGUIN
Running event on Sunday in Arguineguín, the street run will have 5 and 10 kilometre urban circuits, a children’s race and a charity walk.
The 5-kilometer race and the 10-kilometer race will take place within a totally urban circuit, with a start at 10:00 am. In addition, the route must be completed within a maximum period of one and a half hours, as indicated in the regulations. There will also be a children’s race from 9:30 am to 10:00 am and a solidarity walk from 11:30.
And when there is an urban race it will also mean some road closures in Arguineguín area, especially in Avenida de Muelle.
SUNDAY 18 MARCH, GÁLDAR
XXI FIESTA DEL QUESO
From ten o’clock in the morning this traditional cheese fair will start with a craft show of produce from across the whole island with more than fifty stalls for the sale of these products in the surroundings of the Plaza de Santiago.
At the centre of the event stalls are dedicated to the sale of the various delicious local cheeses where the producers will take advantage to present their exquisite artisanal cheeses from local cheese makers, as well as from across the island and few visitor cheeses from elsewhere in Europe. This will all be animated with folkloric music
The main cheese contest with prices, crafts, food stalls, tastings of cheese and folk music at Plaza de Santiago, …. oh cheeses !!