A gorgeous April weekend ahead as well as the start of Easter week this coming Palm Sunday. Next week, there will be two bank holidays on Gran Canaria, Thursday and Friday. Holy Week on Gran Canaria is one of the most unique cultural celebrations and with much historical emphasis. Religious ceremonies and processions can be expected around the island 10-17 April, especially now that new regulations allow mass events to happen once again. The most popular events take place in the capital and for the most part run through the founding neighbourhood of Vegueta, its parishes and the Cathedral, located in the Plaza de Santa Ana.
Upcoming bank holidays:
Thursday, 14 April Public holiday in The Canary Islands/Spain – Holy Thursday, Jueves Santo.
Friday, 15 April Public holiday in Spain – Good Friday, Viernes Santo
Upcoming events:
21-24.4 Fiestas Santa Águeda
29.4-8.5 Carnival Arucas
29.4-1.5 Gran Canaria Me Gusta – Fair 2022
Spanish State Meteorological Agency, AEMET, forecasts a weekend of sunshine in the southern municipality of Mogán, and for most of the island, though an occasional cloud or two may wander across northern skies.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday look great around the island, so this is a perfect weekend for any kind of Springtime adventure. There is a rally happening this Saturday in Tejeda so it will also mean street closures in the area. All in all average daytime temperatures are very comfortable, with spring sunshine and around 22ºC in the shade, though certainly a touch colder up in the summits, and much hotter in direct sunlight.
Time of year can be quite changeable, and hard to predict, even just a short distance inland from the usually much sunnier coastal weather on the south.
*** Check the regular markets and a range of other events on our main calendar at The Canary Guide website***
Saturday 9 April, La Aldea
Primavera de Sensaciones
To celebrate the arrival of Spring , La Aldea de Nicolás organizes ‘Primavera de Sensaciones’, “Spring of Sensations” a festive day of fun, with acts and activities for all ages and tastes.
Between 10:00-24:00 on Calle Real and La Alameda. Musical performances, walking routes, activities and much more
At 11.00 Children’s entertainment and opening of the Living Museums*.
At 12:30 Performance by La Banda de Los Piojillos (Plaza Alameda).
At 20:30 concert by Arístides Moreno & 101 Brass Band (Plaza Alameda).
At 21:45 concert by Son Del Caney (Plaza Alameda).
Interested people should go to the Culture office, by calling 92885133, sending an email to cultura@aytolaaldea.com or they can also go to Club Deportivo Engáliate, by contacting by phone 655871727
Palm Sunday, 10 April, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Religious Processions
On Palm Sunday, the procession of the Burrita (little donkey) will take place, which runs through the streets of Triana and begins in the San Telmo Park, in the old church of seafarers and sailors, which guards one of the most outstanding artistic heritage of the city. On the same day, the procession of the Nazarenos of Vegueta will begin in the afternoon the route of the costaleros from the church of Santo Domingo, one of the most charming corners of the neighbourhood.
“LA BURRITA” PROCESSION” Palm Sunday, commemorates the triumphant entrance of christianity’s central character to Jerusalem on his donkey. The morning procession from Parroquia de San Bernardo, Ermita de San Telmo includes an image of the fabled Jesus on a donkey followed by children carrying palms and olive branches.
Starting at 11:00 This procession travels some of the oldest streets in the capital the route includes the streets: San Telmo, Mayor de Triana, Perdomo, Pérez Galdós, Buenos Aires, Parque San Telmo.
Nazarenos de Vegueta “SALUD Y ESPERANZA” PROCESSION
That same evening at 19:00, a white, pointy-hooded “Health and Hope” procession ( Cristo de la Salud y La Virgen de la Esperanza de Vegueta ) follows with the penitential procession of the Brotherhood and Guild of Nazarenes from the Parish of Santo Domingo de Guzmán in the evening. This procession, Andalusian style carrying two images includes over a hundred members wearing tunics with hoods,
Again this is an historic route around some of the most important places in the capital: Plaza de Santo Domingo de Guzmán, García Tello, San Marcos, Fernando Galván, Reyes Católicos, Dr. Chil, Reloj, Obispo Codina, Catedral (penance place ), Obispo Codina, Callejón de San Marcial, Plazoleta de los Álamos, Plaza del Pilar Nuevo, Felipe Massieu Falcón, Espíritu Santo, Reloj, Doctor Chil, Doctor Verneau, San Marcos, García Tello, Plaza de Santo Domingo de Guzmán. Arriving back around 00:30.
Palm Sunday 12 April, Teror
Del Señor en la Burrita – procession
Religious eucharist during the morning in the church of Our Lady of the Pine, at 08:00/10:00/11:00 and is followed by a blessing at 11:45 at the Plaza of the Church. The procession continues with the image of Jesus on the donkey and travels through the street of the town.
Route: Plaza Nuestra Señora del Pino, Calle La Herrería, Calle Nueva, Calle Del Riego, Real de la Plaza, and returns to Plaza Nuestra Señora del Píno.
Palm Sunday 12 April, Teror
Del Señor en la Burrita – procession
Religious eucharist during the morning in the church of Our Lady of the Pine, at 08:00/10:00/11:00 and is followed by a blessing at 11:45 at the Plaza of the Church. The procession continues with the image of Jesus on the donkey and travels through the street of the town.
Route: Plaza Nuestra Señora del Pino, Calle La Herrería, Calle Nueva, Calle Del Riego, Real de la Plaza, and returns to Plaza Nuestra Señora del Píno.
Tuesday to Sunday, Agüimes
El Centro de Interpretación del Barranco de Guayadeque
The Interpretation centre of Barranco de Guayadeque, ‘Museum Guayadeque‘ is back in operation. The building, one of the most visited cultural facilities in the municipality of Agüimes, has reopened its doors and resumed public visits, after the works carried out in recent months. The centre is located at the entrance to the upper section of the ravine, just after the confluence of the two highways that lead to Guayadeque from the urban centers of Agüimes and Ingenio. It is built next to a hillside, with a part excavated inside the mountain, following the old typology of cave-houses that still prevails in the place.
The Interpretation centre of Barranco de Guayadeque is the gateway for people who visit this unique natural area, nestled between the municipalities of Ingenio and Agüimes. Natural Monument and Asset of Cultural Interest with the category of Archaeological Zone, Guayadeque is not only a protected natural space of high environmental value. It is also one of the most important archaeological sites in the Canary Islands, a perfect example of the land occupation model used by the ancient Canarians, with living spaces, places of worship and numerous burials. Over the centuries, the isolation of the ravine has allowed the conservation of its ethnographic values, with the survival of secular practices and traditions that have already disappeared in other places in Gran Canaria.
Take a tour through history. The Centre is open Monday to Sunday 09:00-17:00. Entry Fee.
Monday – Sunday, Las Palmas
Jardín Botánico Viera y Clavijo
It is going to be a great weekend to visit The Viera y Clavijo Botanical Garden, also known as ‘Jardín Canario’ which opened to the public again from 23 March 2022. The access will be through either the Tafira gate (upper part) or the El Dragonal entrance (lower part) with parking at both entrances.
This center is dedicated to the conservation and management of the terrestrial Canarian Flora through three main areas of action: research, environmental education (including dissemination) and the maintenance and exhibition of living collections of terrestrial plants, especially endemic to the Canary Islands. and Macaronesia, but also from areas of the planet that maintain floristic connections with the Canary Islands.
Opening Hours:
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays: 10:00-17:00 (last entry at 16:00 )
Monday to Friday: 07:30 to 14:00 (last entry at 13:00)
SPORTS EVENTS THIS WEEKEND
Saturday 9 April, Tejeda
La 19ª Subida de Tejeda
The 19th edition of Subida de Tejeda ‘The Tejeda climb’ rally takes place this Saturday in the beautiful mountain village of Tejeda.
“Remember that when there is rally going on, it also means road closures during the race”
Roads closed from 9:00 to 15:00 on Saturday from Cruz de Tejeda to the Artenara Crossing along the “old road”, Cuevas Caídas, La Culata and the Variante from the roundabout.
<<Access and exit of the Town by Artenara or Ayacata>>
Streets closed from 07:00 to 17:00 on Saturday, from c/ D. Luís González Hernández to c/ Tomás Arroyo Cardoso (Descent from the pool to the gas station).
TheCemetery car park, closed from Friday at 17:30 until Saturday at 16:30.
Saturday 9 April, Teror
El Álamo Race
The neighbourghood of El Álamo in Teror celebrates this Saturday a new edition of the race “El Álamo Race”. Some 400 participants take part in the fourth edition of the mountain race, which will take place starting at 17:30.
This running competition will cover the neighborhood from north to south with a demanding and spectacular route. A 14-kilometre circuit, with a height difference of 1,000 positive metres, which crosses valleys and mountains in the municipality and which includes the new section of the Arbejales ravine that goes from La Molineta to the lavaderos , as well as the section of La Junquera.
“Remember that when there is a sporting event happening it also means road closures during the race”
MARKETS ON THE SOUTH OF GRAN CANARIA 3-5 DECEMBER
Friday is always market day in Playa de Mogán in the morning. This popular market is in one of the prettiest fishing harbour towns on Gran Canaria, very popular with tourists.
On Saturday San Fernando de Maspalomas market offers all kinds of textiles, Objet d‘art and other articles, outside the Municipal Market, located on Avenida Alejandro del Castillo, with bargains for bargain hunters. It is one of the markets most enjoyed among visitors along with Friday’s in Playa de Mogán;
El Mercadillo de Maspalomas, the main ‘Maspalomas market’ is on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 08:00 to 14:00.
On Saturday in Arguineguín, a second-hand market on Plaza Negra (the marketplace) in the morning 09:00-14:00 with a wide range preloved treasures to be found and discovered.
On Sunday, the “rastro” second-hand market, is on from 08:00 to 14:00 in the main carpark of the Municipal Market, in San Fernando.
This Sunday, the biweekly Farmers and Handicraft Fair of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria. The market is held in the little urban park, in front of the entrance to Angry Birds park between 08:30-14:30. It’s definitely not big but a lovely, pleasant morning stroll for a Sunday morning.
Saturday 9 April, Vacindario
Mercado Agrícola de Vecindario
The biweekly Saturday Agricultural Market in Vecindario still takes place on the main street at the Plaza de Los Algodoneros (next to the Hotel Avenida de Canarias ) 🍉🌼🥔🥑🍌 Get the best seasonal fruit and vegetables, bread, flowers and much more, straight from the local farmers and producers.
From 08:30 – 13:30 Plaza de Los Algodoneros
“It is also the perfect opportunity to explore the kilometres-long main street of this neighbourhood, Avenida de Canarias.”
LIVE MUSIC THIS WEEKEND!
Saturday 9 April, Las PAlmas
Musicando
Musicando – series celebrates one hundred nights around world music. One hundred musical evenings that 72,450 spectators have been able to enjoy since this music event with popular roots was born in 2016. To celebrate it, on this Saturday, a special production that will bring together renowned musicians from the Archipelago music scene at the José Antonio Ramos auditorium in Parque Doramas, starting at 21:00; the guitarist Yul Ballesteros , the timplistas Hirahi Afonso and Yone Rodríguez , the accordionist Miguel Afonso , the versador Yeray Rodríguez , the singersFabiola Trujillo , Mara Pérez and Patricia Muñoz , the soloist Iván Quintana and the Cuban musicians based in the Canary Islands Totó Noriega and Sofiel Del Pino .
Free entry until seating capacity is full.
JAZ ALICE MUSIC
Jaz Alice is our most talented and versatile young singer, born in England, she has become a local star performer here on Gran Canaria
KELLY MARLOW
The astounding US Rock sensation, now a local star on Gran Canaria, playing out to an international audience and live across the airwaves.
Friday Nirvana Bar in Arguineguín, Ancora Centre at 21:00
Saturday Rockabella – Playa del Inglés 18:00-21:00 and later at the Shamrock at 22:30
Sunday The Shamrock in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria at 22:30
MULLIGAN’S PLAYA DEL INGLES
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