What a weekend ahead for with weather predictions from Spanish State Meteorology service AEMET promising good weather for the south but for the northern parts of the island, well … we’ll just have to wait and see. There is a double whammy of celebrations going on around Maspalomas with the pride parade and a traditional Romeria both happening on the same day. There will also be an amazing ecology and sustainability fair happening in Arucas, AND games and comics in Telde, and much much more…
… don’t forget that the Eurovision song contest is also happening on Saturday, “the campest thing on TV all year” and so many bars on the island will have a party surrounding the event.
11-13 May, Maspalomas
Pride Maspalomas
Free outdoor events around the main stage in the middle of Yumbo commercial centre in Playa del Inglés and on this Saturday the big parade.
On Friday, the International Gala starting at 22:00 with Funny Boys Show, Jia Miles, Fruela, Seann Miley Moore ( X-factor UK ) , Glennis Grace. Followed by music until the early hours.
On Saturday its the big day for all those celebrating. Starting at 17:00 with road closures and traffic restrictions throughout the Playa del Inglés area. The parade starts as ever in front of the Riu Palace Maspalomas hotel and travels the up main road Avenida Tirajana all the way to the intersection with Avda de Gran Canaria from where it turns right to Avda de España, on the other side of the yumbo, where route ends.
On Sunday, the Closing gala at 22:00 with Sharonne, Norwood, Ruth Lorenzo, Vengaboys
11-13 May, El Tablero, San Bartolomé de Tirajana
Fiestas Patronales en honor a la Santísima Trinidad
Patronal Celebrations in the lovely neighbourhood of El Tablero, on the other side of the GC-1 from Sonnenland, in honour of the holy Trinity and on Saturday, a traditional Romeria pilgrimage.
On Friday there will be a children’s procession starting at 18:00 from the parking lot of IES Tablero, travelling via the main streets of Tablero before arriving at the plaza. At 20:30 the Gala Campensina infantil, the traditional election of a girl and boy peasant child of the fields.
On Saturday, a foam party for the kids at 12:00 at Plaza El Tablero and at 18:00 a Romeria, the pilgrimage offering, with all the people dressed in traditional Canarian outfits with carts full of offerings to their patron saint. The route starts from the sports centre in El Tablero. Later there will be entertainment and music until the wee small hours of the night.
On Sunday, classic cars on show between 10:00 to 15:00 on Avenida de las Americas surrounding the Plaza. At 17:00 a party for the kids with entertainment; a mini disco, bouncy castles etc. In the evening at the main plaza a joint show of the local dance and sports schools starting at 20:00
11-13 May, Telde , Orgullo Friki Telde
Orgullo Friki
Definitely the place to take your kids if they like games and comic books. “Friki proud” event over the weekend in Telde at Plaza de San Gregorio with lots of activities.
On Friday 16:30 Inauguration, 16:30-19:30 Workshops and games, 16:00-20:00 Shops and artisans, 17:00-18:00 Karaoke
On Saturday, 10:00-13:00 Shops and artisans. 11:00-12:00 Parade and Star Wars photo shoot. 11:00-13:00 Workshops and games, 11:00-12:00 Just Dance, 11:30-13:00 Jedi Academy, 12:00-13:00 Karaoke, 16:00-20:00 Shops and artisans, 16:00-19:30 Workshops and games, 16:00-17:00 Just Dance, 17:00-18:00 Karaoke, 18:00-19:00 Super hero Training (limited places), 20:00 raffle
On Sunday 10:00-13:00 Shops and artisans, 11:00-11:45 Concert by the Municipal Band of Telde. 11:00-13:00 Workshops and games, 11:00-13:00 K-Pop-experience and Random play, 11:00-13:00 Jedi Academy, 16:00-20:00 Shops and artisans, 16:00-19:30 Workshops and games, 16:00-19:00 K-Pop and Random play performances, 20:00 Raffle and the end of all fun.
12-13 May, Arucas
II Feria de Ecología y Sostenibilidad
The Ecology and Sustainability Fair taking place at the Experimental farm ( Granja Experimental ) of the island Cabildo de Gran Canaria, located on the northern Arucas coast, during Saturday and Sunday. The fair has a multitude of companies presenting many sectors, all kinds of ecology companies and those promoting organic policies including food, crafts, mobility, cosmetics, agriculture, recycling, workshops / talks mindfulness, yoga, pilates, NGOs, renewable energies and more.
Sustainable fashion will be present with the celebration of the First Canary Islands Sustainable Fashion Catwalk with 8 clothing brands of Canarian designers made with ecological and sustainable fabrics.
Visitors can enjoy 16 food stalls that will serve delicious organic meals, smoothies, fresh juices, sweets and cakes, vegan burgers and all with organic packaging because no plastic allowed.
In the Recycling Zone, you can find projects, companies and collaborators.
And let’s not forget the organic farmers and their market
A great weekend to be enjoyed with organic food, renewable energies, sustainable fashion, organic cosmetics, gluten-free products, consumer groups, crafts with recycled materials, electric vehicles, sustainable projects, companies with responsible philosophy, associations and collaborating NGOs, workshops for children, families and adults , electric automotive circuits for children, live music and much more.
Opening hours : Saturday 09:30-19:00 and on Sunday 09:30-17:00
SATURDAY 17 MARCH, LAS PALMAS
MUSICANDO
Boleros, fado and traditional Canarian music come together every weekend until June 2 in the third year of the Musicando program. All nine concerts are held in the Parque Doramas auditorium in Las Palmas, starting at 21:00 and are free entry until full.
The sweet and intense cadence of fado will occupy the Doramas park on this Saturday with the voice of the Brazilian María Emilia, one of the great interpreters of the new Portuguese Fado. With an excellent voice and great gestural expressiveness, her repertoire is composed of fados «castizos» and fados «song» demonstrating her ability to make fado something classic and new, with a style of syllabizing verses and modulating melody.
Musicando offers a great opportunity for the public to come back to fado, recognized as Intangible Heritage of Humanity by Unesco in 2011.
Saturday 12 May, Gran Canaria
Empty the tanks Gran Canaria
Empty The Tanks is a world event in protest of the captivity of dolphins and orcas in delfinariums around the world. The missions is to use education and awareness to end cetacean captivity and promote ocean conservation worldwide. Their vision is of a world without cetacean captivity and a world with healthy oceans and marine life. aiming to inspire people of all ages to help them understand how their individual choices impact the world around them.
On Saturday 12 May, around the world there are at least 67 major events happening, including one in Gran Canaria and 2 in Tenerife.
The event on Gran Canaria will be at Poema del Mar in Las Palmas from 12:00 to 15:00
Tenerife one in Aqualand and another at Loro Parque
“Marine entertainment parks have no place in our world anymore. These are incredibly social, intelligent and emotional beings that are being exploited to make money for only a few individuals. By keeping dolphins and whales in captivity for decades, the greatest thing we have learned is that they do not belong there.
Empty the Tanks is not a radical movement demanding the release of all captive marine mammals into the wild. Some of these animals might be great candidates for release, but those that are not should be retired into sea sanctuaries, where they can enjoy the rest of their days in natural seawater, feeling the waves of the ocean around them. They should not be worked until their last breath is taken and then thrown out like trash and replaced.
This is a campaign to educate the general public about what captivity means to cetaceans. These annual events will allow activists to reach the public all over the world in a positive and productive way.”Rachel Carbary, Executive Director of Empty the Tanks
