Dia de Canarias is celebrated on the 30th of May, 1983 when the Canary Islands officially became an Autonomous National Region of Spain and the Government of the Canary Islands Parliament sat for the first time. The day has been marked ever since by all municipal town halls, on all the 8 islands, in each of the two provinces that make up the archipelago, as the office day of celebration of all things Canarian.
The last weekend of May also celebrates the beginning of summer and is called a “bridge” weekend by the Canarians. In true Canarian style, celebrations extend for 4 days on this weekend.
There are many different traditional cultural events around the island of Gran Canaria. All of them include wine tastings, coffee tastings, traditional cooking shows, music etc – nearly every town or village has some sort of public event happening, either during the weekend and/or Monday, with locals dressed in traditional post-conquest clothing and performing folk dances as well as tastings of local produce among other attractions.
Of course, as tourism has long been the main focus of the economy here you’ll also find representations of traditional foodstuffs like gofio, potatoes, cheeses, mangoes, avocados, ropa vieja, almonds, wines, rum, honey rum, mojos rojo and verde and many items besides on display in hotels and tourist information centres.
This is truly a weekend of holiday, family, and celebration. The below list of the more interesting celebrations
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ARGUINEGUÍN, MOGÁN – TUNA AND SEA FAIR
On Sunday and Monday, a show, cooking, sales, tastings, educational activities for children, music, an homage to fishermen and much more comes together in Arguineguín to highlight the municipality’s fishing sector and promote seafood, especially tuna, caught the artisanal way by the fishermen of the municipality.
PUERTO RICO DE GRAN CANARIA – TrENDERETE
Puerto Rico is celebrating Canarian Day with an event named Trenderete with artisanal crafts, gastronomy and music.
This is the closest town to where we live and we are looking forward to attending this event.
I’m looking forward to wine tastings, coffee tastings, local food and local musicians.
SAN BARTOLOMÉ DE TIRAJANA
The main Canarian Day festivities are celebrated in the picturesque municipal capital, also named San Bartolome de Tirajana, known by it’s pre-hispanic name “Tunte.” The name derives from the aboriginal Guanche-Canario settlement, where, after the conquest in the late 15th century, various settlers of Hispanic origin settled.
There is Fair of Canarian Traditions, an exhibition of antique carts and wagons, Canarian wrestling and some traditional Taifa dancing.
CAIDEROS DE GÁLDAR
The 26th traditional Wool Fiesta in the neighbourhood of Caideros.
This has got to be one of the most authentic events you can visit on Día de Canarias. The northern municipality of Gáldar celebrates its traditional ‘Fiesta de La Lana’ in Caideros every May 30, Canary Islands Day.
Exalting the customs and traditions of this land, still preserved in this inland area of the north. Livestock from nearby farmhouses will be brought for shearing and subsequent milking, which is one of the most anticipated moments of the day, along with popular Canarian music in the square and the crafts show. Demonstrations of native sports and recognition of the people of this place complete the program of events for this festive event.
These include livestock shearing, a stick fight exhibition, traditional threshing, a dog show, female wrestling.
TEROR
The famous and beautiful mountain town of Teror celebrates Canary Islands Day from May 28 to 30 with a varied program of activities. The Town Council have organised the longest sandwich made of the local Chorizo de Teror in history on Saturday, expected to be half a kilometre in length, running through several streets of the Casco (Old Town).
SAN FERNANDO DE MASPALOMAS
The Maspalomas neighbourhood of San Fernando, once a simple village of tomato growers and share croppers, enjoys its patron saint celebrations from 26 May to 6 June, 2022.
The popular Romería pilgrimage for their patron saint, San Fernando, takes place this Saturday, where attendees will be dressed in traditional costume and processing through the streets and around the church of this old rural population.
There is a funfair that has been set up in San Fernando during the festivities.
Carrizal, Ingenio – Carnival Carrizal 2022
The last weekend of festivities of one of the most popular Carnival festivities on Gran Canaria, Carnival Carrizal. The celebration, designated as a Local Festival of Tourist Interest, has its big weekend with the Drag Queen Gala, a parade and the so-called “rescue of the sardine”.
After the parade, The burning of the sardine and fireworks. A big after party follows the fireworks, with performances continuing until 5am, which is also the closing time permitted for the bars and restaurants in the area.
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
LPA Motown
The sixth edition of the fair revolving around the world of motorcycles and mobility in the province of Las Palmas, takes place between 27-29 May.
LPA Motown ‘motorcycle and sustainable urban mobility’- fair is the perfect place to learn first-hand about all the latest developments in the sector.
In this edition, there will be a large exhibition space, food truck area among other things to see including the novelty of a “Motorcycle Show”, an unbeatable opportunity to encounter, all in one space, the main companies that lead the two-wheel sector here on the island, three days for bikers to test and even buy the perfect motorcycle, as well as the accessories they need both for themselves and for their vehicles.
Companies such as Pole Position, Valsebike, Autos Losan, Domingo Alonso, Gubra, Motomaxs, Danara and AM Motos have already confirmed their participation, which make it possible to have the presence of all the reference brands in the sector: Harley Davidson, KTM, Ducati, Honda, Zontes, Suzuki, Peugeot, Yamaha, Royal Enfield, Indian, SuperSoco etc.
Read more about Dia de Canaria.