It’s official! Yule time starts this weekend on Gran Canaria with the first of the seasonal lighting events happening this Friday. The gorgeous summery weather that we have been enjoying all the way into mid-November will now take a few days off but it looks like it will return next week. Work has already started of Gran Canaria’s biggest nativity sculpture, the sand art Belen de Arena 2022 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and opens on Friday, December 2 on Las Canteras Beach. Shopping centres start their lights-on events this Friday with Las Arenas in the capital as well as both new centres in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, in the south, will light up their seasonal illuminations.  There is also a historic pilgrimage in Gáldar well worth going to see. In Arguineguín, there is a beach clean event to join as well as Worlds Children’s day activities to take part in with all the family. La Aldea is already celebrating their Black Friday market this Saturday and there are also 3 big sporting events happening this weekend, Gran Canaria Maspalomas Marathon, the annual ARC Atlantic rally for cruises as well as the Historic Rally Santa Lucía.

Upcoming events:
26-27 November • Km.0 Fair Gran Canaria in Ingenio
2 December – 9 January • Belen de Arena
2-4 December • Christmas Fair – Feria de Navidad de San Mateo
3-8 December  • 28º Feria de Artesanía de Canarias in Las Palmas de G.C.
4 December • Avocado Fair Mogán

*** Check out the regular listings and markets and a range of other events on our main calendar at The Canary Guide website***

Spanish State Meteorological Agency, AEMET, have forecast a weekend starting with some unstable weather, more at the summits and and on the north of the island than in the south, but even the southern tourist enclaves might experience some  possible rain, wind, and coastal phenomena. The weather is expected to get better again in a few days time.

AEMET weather forecast for Mogán (left)  and Las Palmas de G.C. (right)

Saturday 19 November, Gáldar
Magna Peregrinación

The Great Pilgrimage this Saturday of the neighborhoods in the municipality of Gáldar and their main patrons’ images will meet with the image of Santiago on the day of the Official Declaration as a Diocesan Sanctuary of the Main Temple of Santiago de Los Caballeros with the great closing pilgrimage for the double Holy Years Gáldar Jacobeo 21•22.

The pilgrimages with the patron saint images will have several routes converging on the Bajada de Las Guayarminas. Once they are all together, at 18:00 they will start from Bajada de Las Guayarminas until reaching the Plaza de Santiago passing through Calle Capitán Quesada accompanied by the parish clergy, the municipal corporation, music bands, neighbourhood representatives and the general public. The procession will be accompanied by fireworks. At 19:00 a special Eucharist for the occasion will begin, presided over by the Bishop of the Diocese of the Canary Islands, José Mazuelos Pérez.

After the mass, the Extraordinary Concert at 21:00 in front of the church with Chago Melián, Andrea Rodríguez, Patricia Muñoz and Pedro Manuel Afonso.

“This is a historic event to witness.”

Saturday 19 November, Arguineguín
11th Beach Clean and Surf Festival

After a 2 year wait due to Covid, Surf Canaries is proud to announce their 11th Beach Clean and Surf Festival in Arguineguín.

Surf Canaries is once again co-hosting the Arguineguín Beach Clean with Tipsy Hammock and Oceans4Life, in collaboration with the Surfrider Foundation, Initiativas Oceanas, Mogán, and San Bartolomè de Tirajana town councils, and various local businesses.

This event was the very first of its kind, regular beach clean meeting, on the island and helps to increase ecological consciousness as well as promote companionship between local neighbours and volunteers from all over the island and Europe who all come together to clear plastic that is more and more prevalent in our oceans.

Come and join this awesome beach clean and well-deserved BBQ afterward… this year is going to be even bigger and better!

MEETING POINT: at 10:00 on “Callao” Surf Beach, Arguineguin (seaward side of the football stadium)

Saturday 19 November, Arguineguín
Día Internacional de La Infancia 2022

The municipality of Mogán celebrates International Children’s Day (the official date is November 20) with a day of free activities this Saturday in Plaza Pérez Galdós in Arguineguín.

Lively little parade, space for children from 0 to 6 years old, space for children from 6 to 12 years old; workshops for all audiences (Jurassic – Planetarium – Comic – Food -; Teen Zone; Inflatables; Mechanical Bull; Musical Animation and animated characters.
Plaza Pérez Galdós
Parade at 10:00
Activities from 11:00 to 16:00

Saturday 19 November, La Aldea
Black Friday La Aldea de San Nícolas

La Aldea de San Nicolás, the westernmost municipality of Gran Canaria is celebrating Black Friday early this Saturday, with a market, activities and music.

The town hall has organised a series of activities, inclduing the Handicrafts and Accessories Show Market, which will be located from 17:30 in the Plaza de La Alameda. The II Chess Tournament has also been scheduled at that time, which will take place on Calle Matías Vega.

For the little ones, an extensive children’s entertainment program has been designed on Calle Mariano de Cáceres from 17:00 to 19:00. There will also be musical entertainment in the open commercial area of ​​the municipality and the day will close with the great concert that La Trova will start at 20:00 in the Alameda area.

The commercial sector of the municipality and the hoteliers participate in this day with discounts and other promotional actions

PUERTO RICO DE GRAN CANARIA 

Christmas lights will be switched on in THE MARKET PUERTO RICO at 20:00

SPORTING EVENTS THIS WEEKEND

Sunday 20 November, Maspalomas 
Gran Canaria Maspalomas Marathon 2022

Everything is ready for the second edition of the Gran Canaria Maspalomas Marathon, the southernmost marathon in Europe, which this weekend will bring together 5,740 athletics enthusiasts in different distances. 840 runners from 43 nationalities and 27 Spanish provinces will seek to complete the queen race of 42,195 meters. 72.2% of the athletes will do it from far away from the island. Specifically, and without being residents of the Canary Islands, they will travel, in addition to different points in Spain, from the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Poland, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, Austria, the United States States, Estonia, Argentina, Latvia, Portugal, Hungary, Lithuania,

The program:
-On Friday: The inauguration of the Runners Village at ExpoMeloneras at 10:00. The largest meeting point for participants and the general public, where athletes will collect their numbers and bags (open on Friday and Saturday from 10:00 to 20:00).
-On Saturday: at 08:30 Active Run training.  The Holiday World Kids Race starts at 10:00 from Faro de Maspalomas with 1,300 boys and girls.
at 11:00 warm-up for the 3KGran Canaria Accessible race and the start is at 11:30 with 2,000 participants and at 12:00-13:30 concert by Aseres and a raflle

-On Sunday, at 08:00 The Gran Canaria Maspalomas Marathon will kick off. 15 minutes later it will be the turn of the Vithas 10K. with 1,600 athletes, of 42 nationalities, 68.4% male and 31.6% female participation. There is going to be two awards events at 11:00 and then at 13:00.

“Remember, when there is a sporting event of this magnitude it will also mean some road closures in the area during the race” 

Sunday 20 November, Las Palmas de G.C.
ARC 2022

Every November since 1986 the ARC Atlantic Rally for Cruisers has set sail from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, westward bound, crossing the Atlantic to the Caribbean. Bringing together yachts and boaties from all over the world. The fleet gathers in Las Palmas Marina, the Muelle Deportivo, in the heart of the city, in the weeks before the departure.

This Sunday, the ARC Fleet starts the 2022 edition of their traditional direct route from Gran Canaria to Saint Lucia, including a Racing Division. Yachts and the crews will be setting off on this year’s rally, spending 18-21 days at sea at the behest of the trade winds.

Start day! at 12:30 Multihulls at 12:45 Racing Divisions and at 13:00 Cruising Divisions

One of the most wonderful sights to see every year is this large flotilla powered by sail and the trade winds, as they head off into the Atlantic headed for the Caribbean.  Most will arrive by mid-December.

18-19 November, Santa Lucía de Tirajana
IX Gran Canaria Historic Rally 2022

Santa Lucía de Tirajana becomes the motor capital of the Canary Islands on 18-19 November with the celebration of the IX Gran Canaria Historic Rally 2022.

On the occasion of the celebration of the IX Gran Canaria Historic Rally of Santa Lucía 2022 on Saturday, the GC-65 highway will be closed to traffic from the Pozo Rojo area to Santa Lucía. The closure will be from 08.40 in the morning until 20.30. The Temisas highway will remain open as an alternative to go up or down from Santa Lucía. The departure ceremony will be this Friday at 20:30 in the afternoon in the pedestrian area of Avenida de Canarias.

The technical and administrative verifications of this competition will be at the Recinto Ferial de Vecindario on Friday afternoon, from 15:00 to 19:30. There are 92 registered teams. Former driver Miki Biasion, World Rally Champion in 1988 and 1989, is the guest of honour at this competition. The Italian driver will be the zero car that will be co-driven by the international Rogelio Peñate from Gran Canaria.

The competition has several sections in which the speed modality stands out, which will be complemented with the regularity Sport and Trofeo 50. The route will start on Saturday at 09:00 in Vecindario to head towards the timed sections of: Las Vallas -Santa Lucia of 7.52 km, which will be followed by the route of Las Era-Los Cuchillos. In the afternoon, the two passes of the Santa Lucia de Tirajana section of 12.32 km are held, which take place at 16:40 and 18:20.

MARKETS ON THE SOUTH OF GRAN CANARIA

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 The Maspalomas market offers all kinds of textiles, Objet d‘art and other articles, located now in a new venue at Parque Europeo in Playa del Inglés, while the municipal market is being re-built. It is one of the markets most enjoyed among visitors along with Fridays in Playa de Mogán;
El Mercadillo de Maspalomas 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 of preloved treasures to be found and discovered.

On Sunday, the “rastro” second-hand market, ****From 20 November 2022, the second-hand market will take place in a new place! In the Ciudad deportiva de Maspalomas, next to football field 2 and close to Pepe Chiringo and Parque Sur de Maspalomas.***

This Sunday, The little farmers’ and Artisans’ market in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria. The biweekly “Mercado Agrícola y Artesanal” is to be held in the urban park between 08:30 – 14:30.  

Saturday 19 November, Vecinario
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!

Friday 18 November, Maspalomas
Timple y cuarteto de cuerdas

A lovely concert to enjoy on Friday, 18 November 2022 in Centro Cultural Maspalomas at 20:00.

Benito Cabrera (timple) and a string quartet of the Sinfonica orchestra of Las Palmas. Free entry until full.

“Timple is a traditional musical instrument of the Canary Islands and Murcia, having four or more commonly five strings, and similar in size to a ukulele but with a distinctive semi-round back.”

Saturday 19 November, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Musicando

‘Musicando’ concert series in Auditorio José Antonio Ramos, Parque Doramas. All concerts are free entry until full capacity.

This Saturday at 21:00 Puertas al Sur 5tet

This Saturday it will be the turn of Puertas Adentro. Beatriz Alonso, Miguel Manescau and Luis Suárez, three musicians with extensive and renowned artistic careers, will be accompanied on stage on this occasion by saxophonist Ariel Bringuez and Cuban artist Kumar Sublevao Beat.

KELLY MARLOW

On Friday at NIRVANA in the Ancora Centre, Arguineguin at 21:30

On Saturday at ROCKABELLA in Playa del Inglés at 18:00 and later at THE SHAMROCK BAR at 22:30

On Sunday at THE SHAMROCK BAR in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria at 22:30

BARBACOA SHOW BAR – EUROPA CENTRE IN PUERTO RICO DE GRAN CANARIA

Drinks, Food, Children play area, piano bar, sports and much more 

On Friday ABBA Gold Tribute 
On Saturday Tom Jones and UB40 Tribute 
On Sunday The Champions with their Rock’n’Roll Show