It’s International Women’s Day weekend with official celebrations happening this Sunday, 8th of March. AEMET, the Spanish state meteorological agency is predicting unpredictable weather for Friday on the north of the island and at the summits, with a high possibility of some rain but improving everywhere as we reach Sunday, which is looking to be a beautiful winters day.
We have a super busy weekend ahead with local and European cheeses on offer in the northern highlands of Valleseco. Loads of Carnival festivities happening around the island including the start of the Maspalomas carnival celebrations. There are some big sporting events taking place, a quick painting contest in Puerto de Mogán and so much more. It’s going to be a fabulous weekend to be on #GranCanaria and here are our top picks for the days ahead.
5-15 MARCH, MASPALOMAS
MASPALOMAS CARNIVAL
The southern tourist hotspot of Maspalomas celebrates their 2020 international carnival this 5-15 March. The theme this year is “Musicals”, selected for the first time by popular vote. All shows are to be held on the main stage in the shopping centre Yumbo.
Thursday, the opening of the carnival show at 20:00. This is followed by a pre-selection event for the upcoming, and ever popular, Drag Queen Gala, starting at 20:45
On Friday, election of the Great Lady (Gran Damaa) senior Carnival Queen at 20:00 and then a Mogollón ‘caveman’ “streetparty” from 23:00
On Saturday, Children’s Carnival this year includes a parade at 17:00. One of the main novelties this year is , for the first time in the municipality, a children’s parade. This will be a cavalcade through the streets, starring invited floats for the little ones to enjoy a Carnival suitable for all the family to enjoy together. The organization has limited the style of music and advertisements related to alcoholic beverages, restricting consumption, so that minors can enjoy this Carnival in a manner appropriate to their age. The parade starts from calle Timple, just behind Hotel Riu Don Miguel via Avenida de Gran Canaria and Estados Unidos to finish up at the Yumbo. The party continues in the main square until at 19:00 the contest for the Carnival Children’s Queen begins. Another Mogollón “party” follows at 23:00 to end the festivities for Saturday.
On Sunday, One of the highlights of the year, the Election of the Carnival Queen 2020, starts at 21:00. Everybody is welcome to turn up and join in the show, which can also be followed when shown by on national television broadcaster TVE)
The 6th bodypainting contest in the Shopping Centre Bellavista in San Fernando de Maspalomas.The contest starts at 11:00 am and the competing artists having until 16:30 to finish their work. Passers by can watch live as the artwork is painted directly onto naked skin.At 17:00 there is a gala event, where each of the works will be presented to the jury. Each performance accompanied by a musical performance (up to a max 3 minutes long) .At 18:00 the awards
FRIDAY 6 MARCH, SAN FERNANDO, CC BELLAVISTABODYPAINTING CONTEST
6-7 MARCH, MOGÁN
EL CARNAVAL DE BARRIOS
The main Carnival celebrations in the municipality of Mogán are happening between 17-22 March, but there are some “Carnival in the neighbourhood” festivities starting this weekend to get you in the mood
On Friday in the little original community of Motor Grande, Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, the plaza Don Agustín López Álamo will be filled with music, colour and glitter from 17:00 with a children’s costume party at which there will be chocolate and carnival tortillas, makeup workshops, animation activities and a carnival fashion catwalk.
On Saturday, El Horno (GC-505, near Cercado Espino) will have a children’s evening of costumes that will be followed at 21:00 with a concert from the local moganero singer Pedro Manuel Afonso and a verbena “street party” with Paco Guedes.
Carnival season will also be felt in the historic centre of Mogán this Saturday from 21:30 with a parade that will depart from the Valle de Mogán Sports Complex to the rhythm of the Samba Isleña Batucada. The tour route will end in Plaza Sarmiento y Coto where you can enjoy music performances in to the night.
On Sunday, the little ones in the family can enjoy a costume party at 17:00 in parque Nicolás Quesada (casco de Mogán).
6-8 MARCH, GRAN CANARIATRANSGRANCANARIA HG 2020
The 21st edition of this ultimate sporting event, billed as one of the toughest mountain running races in the world, the “Transgrancanaria” is on this weekend until 8 March 2020. Gran Canaria will once again be the scene for this gruelling trial to which we welcome some of the world’s very best mountain runners.The Maspalomas Lighthouse will host the spectacular finish line by the beach for the main races. During Saturday you can expect large numbers of people in the area with the first arrivals coming in from the mountain around 09:30 and with athletes continuing to finish until early afternoon. Later, (from 19:00) there is to be entertainment and music throughout the evening at the famous Café del Mar.
Friday, 6 March– Transgrancanaria kids on Playa de Las Canteras in the morning. Race and activities-Transgrancanaria: 128 km, start at 23:00 from Playa de Canteras, Plaza de Saulo Tóron. The event is enlivened with music from the iconic Los Gofiones.
Saturday, 7 March– Promo/Youth & Family Trans: 17 km. Departure from Playa del Águila (on the south east, near San Agustín at 08:00– Starter: 30 km. Departure from Presa de Chira at 08:30– Maratón: 42 km Departure from El Garañón at 09:30-Advanced: 64 km. Departure from Artenara at 09:00
On Sunday, the awards ceremony will be at 11:00 and 12:00 at the Faro de Maspalomas finish line.
7-8 MARCH, VALLESECO
III FERIA EUROPEA DEL QUESO
After resounding success achieved at the two previous editions, held in Moya and Artenara, this year 2020, is the third edition of the European Cheese Fair and will be held in the northern agricultural highlands of Valleseco. The aim is to turn this sector into a strategic axis of local and regional economic development, closely linked to the tourism sector.
Cheeses from across Europe will once again be the stars of this Fair held on March 7 and 8, 2020, organized by the Commonwealth of the North and the Town of Valleseco, in collaboration with the European Cheese Route Association.
On Saturday 10:00-19:00 and on Sunday 10:00-15:00. Cheese, wine, craft beers, music, exhibitions and various activities designed to put on display one of the most important and thriving traditional rural industries in a competitive setting of deep cultural significance.
7-8 MARCH, TERORCARNIVAL TEROR
The historic mountain market town of Teror celebrates its Carnival dedicated to the ‘Great Chinese Empire’ this weekend.
On Friday, the Grand Carnival Gala is at 21:00 inside the main tent situated on the Plaza de Sintes, with the participation of the satirical singing murgas ‘Los Cernícalos del Risco’ , ‘Los Desiguales del Álamo’ and ‘Taradas dan por saco’, as well as offerings from various collectives from around the municipality.
On Saturday, family carnival and the burning of the sardine At 11:30 the parade of The Great Chinese Empire and opening of the Family Carnival from the Parque del Puente del Pino to the Plaza de SintesAt 12:00 a performance from La Trova with their show La Trova at Carnival, accompanied by singer Marieme (main tent on Plaza de Sintes )At 14:00 Carnival dance with the Harmony Show orchestra (the tent on Plaza de Sintes)Between 15:30 – 18:30 there will be carnival play area with inflatables, a mechanical bull and roscas stalls at Plazade SintesAt 18:30 the 4th High Heel Race along Calle Real and Plaza del PinoAt 20:30 Carnival Drag Queen Gala ( the tent on Plaza de Sintes ). Free entry. ** This is a novelty ***At 22:30 Traditional Burning of the Sardine and FireworksAt 23:00 Concert of the group Los 600At 00:30 Party of the Burial of the Sardine with Dj Promaster.
SATURDAY 7 MARCH, MOGÁN
X CERTAMEN PINTURA RÁPIDA
The popular seaside tourist neighbourhood of Playa de Mogán will once more fill the streets this Saturday, March 7 with brushes and easels and artists competing in the 10th edition of their rapid painting contest organised by the town hall of Mogán. The event brings together artists of various nationalities who must carry out a singular work, in only a short period of time, free style in techniques, depicting the Mogañero landscape, monuments and people in this sunny south-western Gran Canaria enclave.
The contest is open for anyone to join on the day of the contest from 08:00 in the morning. Each participant must pay €5 and be over 16 years of age. Children under this age may also participate but will not be included in the final contest. Each artist must come with all the materials necessary for the realisation of their work and an easel for later exhibition. Each canvas should be within a minimum size of 50 cm and a maximum of 120 cm on any of its sides, it should be white and without textures on its surface. Any previously used canvases will not be accepted, while those that use watercolour paper or similar should come mounted in a frame or rigid support.
At 9:00 the painters start and have limited time until 15:00 to finish and then they are placed on exhibition. These works may be of any style and technique, but will have to be focused on the landscape, monuments or people of this town. At 18:00, the jury’s decision will be announced.
The organisers will award the main prizes – the first will be 1,300 euros, the second 500 euros. And seven runners-up valued at 300 euros each will be given directly by the sponsors. Carnival celebrations in Santa Lucia come to an end this Saturday in Vecindario with the main parade and burning of the Sardine. The theme for this year is Africa.
Saturday, the big Day, Mogollón del Carnaval, will witness a carnival parade starting at 18:30, from Balos to El Doctoral. The day will end with the reading of the last will and testament, the funeral, then cremation of the Sardine followed by music performances from Son del Caney and Star Music. The fun starts at 22:30 at the back of the teatro Victor Jara. The municipality of Moya have been celebrating their carnival with the theme “Carnaval Te Quiero” this year. Festivities come to an end this weekend with a carnival parade and a big party on Saturday.
On Saturday, “encuentro de Murgas” ( popular cultural manifestation of musical theatre with a political influence) at 12:00 in parque Pico Lomito (in front of the tourism office)
At 17:00 the parade starts in front of the church Nuestra Señora Candelaria via calle Miguel Hernández and all the way to parque Pico Lomito. After, starting at 18:00, there are to be concerts at the park until late.
This popular running race takes place one more year in the neighbourhood of Arguineguín and has circuits for all the family of 5 and 10 km in a totally urban layout. Runners competing the distance of 5 km will make a single lap to the circuit, while those who choose the 10k will travel the route twice. The start and finishing line will be on calle Miguel Marrero Rodríguez along the Avenida del Muelle.
The test, which will begin at 10:00, and must be completed in a maximum period of one and a half hours and will be run under IAAF racing regulations. There will also be children’s races held from 9:30 and until the departure of the main categories, in addition to a solidarity walk at 11:30.
Remember that when there is a sporting event happening, it will cause traffic and parking restrictions in the area
SATURDAY 7 MARCY, SANTA LUCIACARNIVAL SANTA LUCIA
SATURDAY 7 MARCH, VILLA DE MOYA
CARNIVAL MOYA
SUNDAY 8 MARCH, MOGÁNCARRERA POPULAR ARGUINEGUÍN 2020
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