Festivals & traditions
Carnivals island by island, from Santa Cruz and Las Palmas to Valverde, pilgrimages and patron saint festivals such as Candelaria and El Pino, Los Finaos, the San Andrés boards and a Canarian Christmas.
Fiestas del Cristo in La Laguna: what they are and what to expect
In mid-September La Laguna holds its main fiestas around a sixteenth-century image. There is a fairground, a procession, and a night of fireworks that draws people up from across the island. Here is what is worth knowing before you go, including the one about the cold.
The Virgen del Pino in Teror: Gran Canaria's biggest fiesta
On 8 September Teror receives half the island. The Virgen del Pino is the patron saint of Gran Canaria, and her fiesta combines an enormous offering procession, a whole night of people walking along the road, and a village that on that day resembles no other.
Festivals and events in Tenerife: what is celebrated in each season
Tenerife is not only beaches: something is celebrated almost every week, and the calendar has two clear peaks. This guide walks through what happens in each season and, above all, how a romería differs from a baile de magos, which is the part almost nobody explains.
The Canarian festival year: what plays when
Two separate celebration calendars run side by side in the Canary Islands. One is put on by the neighbours and costs nothing; the other needs a ticket bought months ahead. Here is when each happens, what to book a room for early, and why autumn is the best season.
Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2027: when it happens, what is on each day, and what it all means
The Santa Cruz Carnival is not one night, it runs for five weeks. Here is the official 2027 programme gathered in one place, with an explanation of what each gala, contest and parade actually is, plus a few things almost nobody tells you about this fiesta.
Virgin of Candelaria, patron saint of the Canary Islands: the story, the fiesta and the pilgrim road
The patron saint of the Canaries, the basilica facing the sea, and an image the Guanches found before the conquest.
Canarian fiestas and romerías: what you have walked into, and what to do about it
Fiesta patronal, romería, baile de magos, verbena: what each means across the eight islands, what to expect as a visitor, and where to see what is on.