On the 30th of May 1983 The Canary Islands officially became an Autonomous National Region of Spain when The Government of The Canary Islands Parliament sat for the first time. The day has been marked ever since by all 88 municipal town halls, on all the islands, in each of the two provinces that make up the archipelago as the official day of celebration of all things Canarian.
A bank holiday here on the islands, most people enjoy a day off spent mainly with friends and family, often attending folk music performances, sampling the enormous range of cheeses produced here and of course the two primary tiples of choice Rum (which many suspect was originally distilled on these islands, long before the sugarcane first grown here had been transplanted across the ocean) and some of the wide range of volcanic wines that are produced here, among many other activities that are seen as authentically Canarian.
You can expect nearly every post conquest town or village to have some sort of public event happening, with locals dressed in traditional clothing and performing folk dances as well as tastings of local produce among other attractions. Of course as tourism has long been the main focus of the economy here you’ll also find representations of traditional foodstuffs like gofio, potatoes, cheeses, mangoes, avocados, ropa vieja, almonds, wines, rum, hoeny rum, mojos rojo and verde and many items besides on display in hotels and tourist information centres.
Well worth heading up in to the mountains, though remember the further you stray from the resorts, the less likely you are to find shops open, or buses running, as this is truly a day of holiday, family and celebration.
Here are just some of the options to celebrate this Canaries Day on Thursday, 30 May, which is also a bank holiday here on the Canary Islands.
LAS PALMAS
On Thursday 30 May, XI Paseo Romero, a pilgrimage at 12:00 with carts and folk groups of all the islands. Touring Parque Santa Catalina, Luis Morote, Sagasta, Tenerife, Agustín Millares Sall and Plaza de la Luz.
starting at 14:30 music band and papagüevos ( big paper mache dolls ) travelling through Plaza de la Puntilla, Paseo de Las Canteras, Mercado del Puerto and surrounding area.
Activities also in Shopping Centre Las Arenas and other locations.
MOGÁN
Canarian Day celebrations 29 and 30 May in Arguineguin and Playa de Mogán.
Wednesday, May 29 Arguineguin hosted an ethnographic exhibition that includes an exhibition of craft work as well as various stalls for tasting and selling of local produce such as honey, cheese, traditional pastries, and also traditional work and traditional music.
On Thursday 30 May, The Canary Islands Day, festivities at Plaza Pedro Pedro Betancor León in Playa de Mogán starting at 20:30, with the sample of traditional music and games that the students of the Folklore Classroom of the Schools perform Artística de Mogán, the performance of the Parranda de Veneguera and craft stalls of the Aborart association.
In this edition to the program of events “Día de Canaris” will celebrate a local character Don Antonio Medina Santana, popularly known as ‘El Piquino’, fisherman and resident in the municipality for 65 years. Born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in 1936, at age 18 he settled in Arguineguín where he worked fishing for tuna and fishing with pots and trañas. Over time he specialised in the weaving and repair of nets and pots, work for which he showed great skill and which led sailors from all over the island to come to him and know him as ‘the artisan of the sea’.
SAN BARTOLOMÉ DE TIRAJANA
Canarian Day festivities framed in Patron Saint festivities San Fernando.
On Thursday 30.5. on Canary Islands’ day, the celebration of the patron saint of San Fernando begins with a mass-procession at 11:30. The most popular part of the event will be the traditional fish barbecue organised in the parking lot of the Maspalomas Colegio I from 13:30, with performances from musical band La Salle and Paco Guedes.
At 18:00 children’s animation at the plaza as well as a taekwondo exhibition
Street music and dancing to follow until late.
SANTA LUCÍA DE TIRAJANA
Festivities from 10.00 to 14.00 in the pedestrian area of Avenida de Canarias Plaza de Los Algodoneros , with inflatables for children and craft workshops with artisans from the municipality.
Exhibitions of stick play and the shepherd’s leap, which is also open to public participation, an intensive workshop and subsequent zanga tournament, a very popular card game in the southeast area; scenes of Canarian traditions, Canarian music
VALSEQUILLO
Celebrations on Thursday 30.5. in the pedestrian area of Valsequillo with traditional crafts, music, dancing, contests, tasting of Sancocho Canario. 10:00-14:30
Plenty to do and see in this beautiful little mountain market town, surrounded by flowers and birdsong.
TELDE
Telde celebrates Canarian Day in Parque de San Juan between 10:00-14:00 with artisans, exhibitions, traditions gastronomy tastings, music and much more besides.
GÁLDAR
Fiesta de La Lana, Wool Fair on Thursday 30 May.
Traditional wool festival in Caideros starting in the morning at Plaza de San José de Caideros. at 8:00 the pastors move their livestock from Cortijo de Galeote to the Plaza. At Plaza de San José from 12:00, artisans, folkloric meeting , tastings and more. At the football field an agricultural show from 11:00 ; shearing, pastors leap and stick fight exhibition, traditional threshing and a dog show.
Folk groups performing between 12:00 – 17:00 at Plaza de San José.
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