San Francisco Javier fiestas 2026 and the Traída del Café in Arucas
The San Francisco Javier neighbourhood of Arucas holds its patron saint fiestas from 13 November to 6 December 2026. The highlight is the Traída del Café on Sunday 15 November, a street parade under a shower of ground coffee with the Banda de Agaete and giant papahuevos figures. There are also galas, the Romería Ofrenda on 21 November, a concert day on the 28th with Los Salvapantallas and the procession on 6 December.
The fiestas in honour of San Francisco Javier, which according to the local press have more than 70 years of history, fill the Arucas neighbourhood of San Francisco Javier for almost a month. Their trademark is the Traída del Café: residents and visitors walk along the main road to the neighbourhood throwing ground coffee, to the music of the Banda de Agaete, the Atlántico Sound charanga and the papahuevos giant figures from several neighbourhoods. According to the president of the fiesta committee, Gabriel Afonso, the residents themselves dry the coffee all year round to share it on the day. The neighbourhood was home to the old Tostadora del Café coffee roasting plant, which the town council has commemorated with a mural since 2024.
Programme: Friday 13 November at 20:00, the opening speech «El aroma de nuestra historia» by Salsipuedes, and at 21:30 the gala to choose the 2026 youth queen and mister. Saturday 14 at 21:00, Drag Queen gala with the drag group Los Salaitos, followed by a verbena street dance with Arena. Sunday 15, Traída del Café: at 11:00 background music on the main road (GC-300, level with the Guayarmina pizzeria), at 11:30 coffee and hats handed out while stocks last and at 13:00 departure for the neighbourhood; on arrival a chickpea stew (3 € donation), verbena with La Mekánica by Tamarindos, the Miss Café 2026 election and a verbena with Una Más. Friday 20 at 21:00, gala of the Reina Lady and Gran Dama. Saturday 21 at 17:30, Romería Ofrenda pilgrimage from the GC-300 (km 9) to the neighbourhood, offering to the saint and verbena with the Parranda La Polvajera and Ritmo Bakano. Sunday 22, children's day: at 12:00 children's party and entertainment, at 18:00 election of the children's queen. Thursday 26 at 19:00, surprise bingo with an afternoon snack in the multi-purpose hall of the Urbanización San Francisco Javier, calle Montaña de Timanfaya (0.50 € per card). Saturday 28, concert day: at 19:00 Aruvisión, «the festival that unites all the neighbourhoods», at 22:00 verbena with Leyenda Joven, fireworks at midnight and then a concert by Los Salvapantallas. Friday 4 December at 21:00, Scala HiFi for all ages. Saturday 5 at 20:00, the Taconeando drag gala with Dragkid and at 22:00 a verbena with Las Ladys del Swing. Sunday 6 at 11:00, a charanga band through the Urbanización and the neighbourhood, and at 18:00 mass in the Urbanización (calle Montaña de Timanfaya), procession with San Francisco Javier and Nuestra Señora del Carmen accompanied by the Agrupación Musical San Isidro Labrador of Montaña de Cardones, and a popular paella. According to the fiesta street-closure notice, the afternoon and evening events take place at the stage area of the neighbourhood. On weekdays there are also talks and workshops, and on 3 December, the saint's day, mass and chocolate with churros, but the programme does not say where. The programme gives no admission price.
