Happy St. Patrick’s Day 17 March 2023!

There are a number of great ways to celebrate Paddy’s day, Día de San Patricio on our subtropical island of Gran Canaria. All Irish bars (and many others) on the island will have special celebrations on Friday, 17 March 2023. Here are just a few ideas where there are for sure some good vibes and celebrations:

☘️Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria loves the Irish so pretty much all the bars and shopping centres will be in the festive spirit.
The Shamrock Bar, The Pub, Piccadilly’s, Dicey Reilly, and Tiffany’s… just to name a few

☘️Pub Durty Nelly’s, CC Las Olas in Aqua de la Perra, Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria

☘️The Old Brogue usually put on a fine spread with lots of entertainment in shopping centre Playa del Cura

☘️Playa del Inglés, the big one, a veritable festival of green coloured joy, is going to be in the “Irish centre” the Shopping center Aguila Roja,
Mulligan’s Gran Canaria 

☘️Las Palmas de Gran Canaria:  St. Patrick’s Day in el Mercado del Puerto, Imaginario Drinks&Music at 20:00, Cervecería y Picoteo Te lo dije Pérez in Vegueta

Maspalomas is celebrating their big finale weekend, with a tourist day on Friday, the carnival parade on Saturday, and the cremation of the sardine procession on Sunday.

The theme for 2023 is “Ritmos Latinos”, Latin rhythms, chosen by popular vote.

🎭 On Friday: The traditional celebration of ‘Tourist Day’.
Starting at 12:00 from the Maspalomas Oasis (Charca de Maspalomas), the ‘Rescue of the Sardine’ procession travels along the coastline towards Playa del Inglés to the rhythm of batucada music inviting tourists and residents to join in the procession toward the Annexo II.
The Tourists Show from 21:00 at the Yumbo Shopping centre.
The night will close with the mogollón from 22:00.

🎭 The Carnival Parade will take place on Saturday, starting at 17:00 from the main entrance road to Playa del Inglés, through El Veril, by the Hotel Parque Tropical, the route will cross Avenida Italia and Avenida de Gran Canaria.
The big night will extend into the early hours with the Grand mogollón from 22:00.

“Departure is from the entrance to Playa del Inglés through El Veril, towards Avda. de Italia until the intersection with Avda. de Gran Canaria, towards Avda. de Gran Canaria until the intersection with Avda. de Tirajana heading south, continue along Avda. de Gran Canaria, Plaza Hierro roundabout (crossing with Avda. 8 de Marzo, former Avda. Alféreces Provisionales), to Avenida Touroperador Tui, where the tour and circuit of the Cavalcade ends.”

When there is a Carnival parade it also means major road closures and parking restrictions in the area, including Calle Escorial, Avda. de Italia , Avda. de Gran Canaria, Avenida Touroperador Tui.  TRAFFIC WILL BE AT A STANDSTILL AND PARKING HARD TO FIND, USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND ARRIVE EARLY!

 

🎭 The final touch to this year’s spring festivities will be on Sunday, with the ‘Cremation of the Sardine’ procession that will leave at 19:00 from the Avenida de España travelling down Alféreces Provisionales in the direction of the Playa del Inglés Anexo II. There the Testament of the carnival sardine will be read at 20:00, before the burning of the Sardine at 20:30, with a pyrotechnics show, lights and music to close the International Carnival of Maspalomas 2023.

There will also be some traffic and parking restrictions for the Sardine procession 

Carnival in Carrizal, in Ingenio, is celebrated between 16-25 March and considered a Local Festival of Tourist Interest.

The allegory this year is “Carnivals of the World”.

On Friday 17:
Festival de Chirigotas at 20:30 Plaza de la Jurada

On Saturday 18:
Pregón de Carnaval, the opening proclamation at 20:00

On Sunday 19:
Caravan of motorcycles and old cars exhibition between 11:00-13:00 through the streets.
Children’s Carnival from 16:00 Plaza de la Jurada with workshops, activities and much more

Agaete is celebrating their Carnival festivities during the weekends between 17-26 March 2023.
The theme this year is El Mar, The Sea, chosen by popular vote.

On Friday: 
Carnival Gala at 21:00 in Plaza de la Constitución, with performances by the murga Los Nietos de Sary Manchez, Comparsa Baracoa, and other acts.

The night will continue with its traditional night of Carnival enlivened by Son Caché and Dúo Resplandor.

On Saturday:
Daytime Carnival is held at Plaza de la Constitución.

A full day with performances starting at 12:30 by Tacones Rojos, at 13:45 Muelle Viejo, at 15:15 Pepe Benavente, at 17:00 El Combo Dominicano, at 19:00Ray Castellano, at 20:30 Salvapantallas, at 22:00 Son del Caney and at midnight Harmony Show.

On Sunday:
The children’s Carnival ball and activities from 12:30

The Carnival of La Aldea de San Nicolás 2023, dedicated to “El Olimpo”, the Olympus themed events will come to an end this weekend with the celebration of the traditional dance of the wig and the burning of the sea bream.

On Friday, starting at 22:00 in the Plaza de La Alameda, the Baile de La Peluca will take place, which will feature performances by Tío Matt and the group Acuarela, which will review the successes of the year 2023.

On Saturday, the widows and widowers of La Aldea de San Nicolás will accompany the bream from the Almacén de Los Picos to the Plaza del Proyecto de Desarrollo Community (Community Development Project Plaza), where it will be burned. The Carnival will say goodbye with music, specifically with the second crowd, which will take the stage of the Plaza Proyecto de Desarrollo Comunitario to Star Music and DJ Nichel B.

👠 Organsiers report that their I Carrera de Tacones, ‘high heel race’ has been suspended as the minimum number of participants registered for the proper development of the race has not been reached.

​SHOPPING CENTRE BELLAVISTA IN SAN FERNANDO DE MASPALOMAS 

The shopping centre Bellavista in the heart of the community is having a carnival party on Friday 17 March, celebrating “Latin Rhythms”.

Enjoy the live exhibition of 4 Body Painting artists from 14:00 to 19:30.
In addition, the little ones in the house can enjoy free children’s activities, such as a bouncy castle, a children’s playroom and carnival face painting from 16:30 to 19:30.
Take advantage of the Carnival photocall and take home a personalized professional photo with the funniest Carnival characters from 16:30 to 19:30.

SHOPPING CENTRE MOGAN MALL
PUERTO RICO DE GRAN CANARIA

Mogan Mall is also celebrating carnival festivities with a lovely little parade, aimed mainly at kids, on Friday 17 March. Two phases 18-19 and then 19-20

and not forgetting the carnival-themed special fountain show at 20:00 on Friday and Saturday (until 25th)

still to come…
On Friday, March 24: COSTUME COMPETITION Children at 18:00 and adults at 19:00
You need to sign up to compete. Sign up: anapilarsuarez1970@gmail.com / 652 19 71 30
Children’s prize: €100
Adult prize: €200

For the first time in the Canary Islands, Da Vinci is here, the exhibition on the greatest inventor of the Renaissance. Discover the most advanced machines of the 16th century and the secrets of this controversial inventor, artist, painter, anthropologist, and much more in the Commercial Centre El Muelle in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Exhibition of interactive machine

Dates: 17 March – 28 May 2023

Ticket event: €10
tomaticket.es

Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday from 16:00-20:00
Friday to Sunday and bank holidays from 10:0-13:00 and 16:00-20:00

​

Almost 80 teams will be participating in the 39th ‘Rallye Villa de Santa Brígida‘ between 17-18 March 2023.

The rally is held in the municipality of the beautiful Villa de Santa Brígida with the primary collaboration of the municipality of Valsequillo de Gran Canaria and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, taking advantage of the road routes passing through the Vega de San Mateo and Telde.

On Saturday, March 18, there will be eight special tests and just over 70 km timed. The special ‘La Atalaya – La Cantera’, with 15 km, will open the test at 9:20 a.m. to continue with ‘Valsequillo’ –between Lomo Magullo and Tenteniguada- (8,466 km at 10:25 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.), ‘Lomo Espino – Los Silos’ (8,047 km at 11:10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.), ‘Las Palmas de Gran Canaria’ –between La Milagrosa and María Rivera- (4.64 km at 4:40 p.m.) and ‘Villa de Santa Brígida’ (5.454 km at 5:03 p.m.).

“When there is a rally it also means road closures in the area”

The 18th edition of the Free Motion Desafío La Titánica competition on Saturday, starting at 8:00 a.m. with start and finish this year in Playa de Mogán. Free Motion Desafío La Titánica is said to be the toughest cycling event on the islands and again challenging the bravest cyclists for yet another year.

Consolidated in this 18th edition as a world-class event endorsed by UCI (the Union Cycliste Internationale, the worldwide governing body for cycling). A major challenge that will once again test the physical and mental capacity of all the participants. A route with sections of extreme hardness that got the better of more than 30 cyclists on the road in the last edition on an epic day with a route full of sharp turns, ramps that never end, and dreamy landscapes.

“Remember that this will mean there will be road closures during the timed section and there will be hundreds of cyclist on the road”

On Saturday – 08:00 a.m. – Departure from Playa de Mogán (roundabout next to Plaza del Sol)

Departure at 8:00 a.m. from Playa de Mogán at a controlled speed, taking the motorway and pass through the Mogán tunnel, at the exit of the tunnel turn right to take the GC-500 from Taurito. Crossing Playa del Cura, Tauro and the first pass through Amadores to Puerto Rico where the first timed section begins in a category 3 pass that scores for the mountain prize.

Descent and new passage through Amadores, Puerto Rico, Anfi del Mar, Arguineguín and Rotonda del Pajar where turning left. After 2 km along the GC-505, the second timed section of 21 km in length begins, with a first section of 12 km on false ascending flat to then start the ascent to the port of Barranquillo Andrés/Pie de la Cuesta of 1st category with 9 km at 8.1% of the average slope also scoring. Descent to the Pie de la Cuesta where there is a light provisioning and departures in three groups depending on the order of arrival.

Ascent of 11 km with several landings to Degollada de Tasartico of 2nd scoring category. New descent to La Aldea de San Nicolás where the main supplies will be. Departures are arranged in three groups for the final ascent of the special category to Degollada del Humo through Valle de Las Lágrimas, 21 km with an average slope of more than 6% and several sections with sustained ramps of 21%. Light provisioning and controlled descent in groups to Playa de Mogán.

Bio Market, in the magic butterfly garden of plants and pots that forms part of the amazing shop “La Casa de las Semillas” at the back of the British club in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on Sunday.

Local, eco-friendly, sustainable products, and much more to see and explore. Times for the workshops and activities in the poster.

Opening hours: 10:00-18:00

The Bio Market is organised by La Casa de las Semillas and Organic Meeting point and is free entry.

• 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 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 Friday’s in Playa de Mogán;
El Mercadillo de Maspalomas is on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 08:00 to 14:00.

• On Saturday in Arguineguín, a small second-hand market on Plaza Negra (the marketplace) in the morning 09:00-14:00 with a wide range pre-loved treasures.

• On Sunday, the “rastro” second-hand market, ****The second-hand market now takes 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 very popular biweekly farmers’ Market, ‘Mercado Agrícola y ganadero de San Fernando‘ will be held in the parking area next to the football Stadium and the municipal offices from 08:00 – 14:00. A chance to purchase fresh, locally-grown food and value-added produce directly from growers or producers —  an authentic retail experience.

LPA en VIVO

These are the ‘LPA en Vivo‘, (‘LPA Live’) concerts and shows scheduled for the month of March in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. These gigs are part of another program of “LPA En Vivo”, a project to boost the cultural offer in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria venues and support artists.

All gigs are free entry until capacity is reached.

Friday 17 March in Motown at 22:00 -> Daniel Roman
Friday 17 March in Talleres Palermo at 20:30 -> Baked Belda “Dj Set”  
Saturday 18 March at Imaginario Drinks & Music at 21:30 -> Tony & The Jumpers 

Music venues:
Fabrica La Isleta,
Talleres Palermo,
Motown Bar Cerveceria,
El Aparte,
Malecón de la Habana,
Moma Club, and
Imaginario Drinks&Music

THE 19th HOLE MELONERAS

Bar & Grill in the shopping centre Varadero in Meloneras. Live Music every night from 22:00