The Fiestas del Carmen 2018 program includes a wide variety of religious, traditional, cultural and festive events for everyone. Aquatics, sports, youth and children’s activities, traditional games, concerts, even the now traditional “lowering of the branch” a ritual offering dating back to pre-christian conquest, and of course the main “Romería” pilgrimage processions; all topped off by the annual highlight of maritime processions between Arguineguín and Puerto de Mogán.
“La Virgen del Carmen” is the patron saint of sailors, and her feast day is observed in the main Mogán fishing towns of Arguineguín and Puerto de Mogán. The maritime procession and religious service close the annual celebrations which include a variety of events, with one of the highlights being the “Bajada de la Rama” (the lowering of the branch) a tradition unique to the islands, embodied most fervently in the north west of Gran Canaria’s eponymous annual fiestas in Agaete each August, but nowadays prevalent in so many other island fiestas in coastal communities, whereby a tree branch is carried through the streets, to the sound of music and revelry, before being lowered into the sea as a prayer for autumn rains and for fertility.
There will be religious ceremonies and a terrestrial “Romería” procession, where sailors dressed in white carry the revered statue of the virgin up to Marañuelas Beach, to pray a rosary.
The major event of the celebrations, and the most famous, is the annual maritime procession, this year to be held on Sunday the 15th, when the statue of Our Lady The Virgin is taken form the port of Arguineguín to the port of Mogán followed by a huge array of fishing boats and leisure craft, with a return journey being completed the following Sunday.
On that day, sailors and fishermen decorate their boats, in order to celebrate their big day to the rhythm of the music bands, the noise of the motors of the boats and the sound of people enjoying themselves. The most picturesque part of this procession is when the two statues meet on arrival to the fishing port of Mogán. Afterwards there is a procession up to the town square, where there is dancing to the live brass band, and later the procession returns to their starting point. The following week the fiestas continue in Playa de Mogán, also in honour of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, following the same maritime route but in the other direction, from Puerto de Mogán to Arguineguín.
Saturday, July 7, is one of the events that attracts a lot of residents and visitors, with the main Romería, the pilgrimage to the Virgen del Carmen de Arguineguín. On Monday, the 16th the Day of Our Lady of Carmen is celebrated, which is also a bank holiday in the municipality of Mogán. In Arguineguín there is to be a “del Carmen-fair” from 12:00 to 18:00 followed by the Eucharist and terrestrial procession. In Playa de Mogán the mass and terrestrial procession will be at 19:30 followed by a lovely seafood gastronomy fair at the fishing port.
The various activities and events will continue until Sunday July 29, when there will be yet another solemn Eucharist and the return maritime procession of the Virgen del Carmen from Puerto de Mogán to Arguineguin.
In Arguineguin 6-16 July
Friday 6 July
At 18:00 the opening of the photographic exhibition in the David Silva municipal sports complex
20:00 a Petanque tournament
20:30 Artisans at Plaza de las Marañuelas
21:30 Gala. The election of Miss & Mr “Costa Mogán” at Plaza de las Marañuelas
23:30 After party at Plaza del Mercadillo
23:30 “Chiringos de Musica” Djs at Calle Jose Manuel Santana.
Saturday 7 July
16:00 Petanque tournament
19:00 Romeria, the pilgrimage offering to Virgen del Carmen. Departure from Avenida del Muelle to Plaza Pérez Galdós…followed by traditional Taifa dancing at the square.
23:30 after party at Plaza del Mercadillo with music
23:30 “Chiringos de Musica” at Calle José Manuel Santana with DJs
Sunday 8 July
12:00-19:00 Aquatic playpark at Plaza de las Marañuelas
21:00 a concert by “Afortunadas”
Tuesday 10 July
Children fashion catwalk at 20:30 at Plaza de las Marañuelas
Wednesday 11 July
21:15 Ballet performance from Ana Vega ballet on Plaza de las Marañuelas followed by Escala en Hifi Adulta, (performances )
Friday 13 July
at 18;30 Bajada de la Rama, the lowering of the branch. Departure from Plaza del Pino Seco
22:30 El Carmen Festival at Plaza del Mercadillo
23:00 after party at Plaza de Las Marañuelas
Saturday 14 July
at 15:00 Foam party at Plaza de las Marañuelas
22:00 concert of ” Ráfaga”
23:30 after party at Plaza del Mercadillo
23:30 “chiringos de music” at Calle José Manuel Santana
Sunday 15 July
09:00 Eucharist at the church followed by the pilgrimage promenade to the harbour for the Maritime procession to start.
22:30 Noche de Vísperas, the celebrations before the main feast day with a concert from “Salvapantallas” and at 00:00 fireworks at Avenida de Las Marañuelas
00:15 after party at Plaza de las Marañuelas
00:30 Djs entertaining at Plaza del Mercadillo
Monday 16 July , The Main Festive Day. Local holiday
12:00-18:00 “El Carmen”-fair at Avenida de las Marañuelas. Artisans, gastronomy, a second hand market, children activities and live music , awards for the best decorated street.
19:30 Eucharist at the church and the land procession to the beach of las Marañuelas
In Playa de Mogán 16-29 July
After 10 days of festivities in Arguineguín it is the turn of Puerto de Mogán and Playa de Mogán to celebrate…
Monday 16 July , The Main Festive Day. Local holiday
Day of our Lady Las Virgen Carmen
19:30 Mass at Plaza Dr. Pedro Betancor León followed by a land procession around the port to the lighthouse.
Seafood gastronomy fair at the fishermen’s port.
Tuesday 17 July
18:30 – Games tournament at Plaza Dr. Pedro Betancor
21:00 Summer movie night King Arthur and the legend of Excalibur (in Spanish) at Plaza Dr. Pedro Betancor
Wednesday 18 July
18:00 – Games tournament at Plaza Dr. Pedro Betancor
21:00 Summer movie night: “Toc Toc ” (Spanish comedy movie and in Spanish) at Plaza Dr. Pedro Betancor
Thursday 19 July
18:00 Traditional children’s and adult games at Plaza Dr. Pedro Betancor
Friday 20 July
21:30 Fashion catwalk at Plaza de Las Gañanias with performances from local ballet schools and various groups
Saturday 21 July
10:30 XI Travesia a nado Taurito – Playa Mogán, the swimming competition finishing at Avenida Los Marreros
15:00 Water party in the barranco
21:30 Comedy night (in Spanish) at Plaza de Las Gañanias, followed by an after party at 23;30 with the “star music” group
Sunday 22 July
10:00 sporting events
11:00 artisans at Plaza Dr. Pedro Betancor
21:00 Children’s fashion catwalk at Plaza de Las Gañanias
Monday 23 July
17:30 – Children’s play park at Avenida de los Marreros
21:00 – Children’s musical at Plaza de Las Gañanias
Thursday 26 July
12:00-19:00 Aquatic play park on the beach
21:00 Scala en Hifi de adultos … Adults performing on stage
Friday 27 July
22:30 a concert by a popular music group “La Trova” at Plaza de Las Gañanias
Saturday 28 July
18:30 Bajada de la Rama, the lowering of the branch procession to Plaza Dr. Pedro Betancor followed by traditional dancing at 22:00
23:00 after party at Plaza de Las Gañanias & at midnight fireworks
Sunday 29 July
10:00 One more solemn Eucharist at Plaza Dr. Pedro Betancor, followed by the final maritime procession and at 20:30 the party ending the Fiestas del Carmen in Mogán.
