An exciting May weekend ahead with abundant events and festivities taking place all around Gran Canaria. There are Patron Saints’ festivities for Motor Grande, in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, and in El Tablero in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana and up in the mountains of Artenara. There is also a two day lively exhibition event in Meloneras boulevard and the Rally Gran Canaria is held this Friday and Saturday.
Flower exhibitions can still be enjoyed in Gáldar, the delightful Day of Traditions in the tiny rural community of el Rincón de Tenteniguada, the Jazz Festival is coming to an end in Puerto de Mogán, just to name a few of the highlights, and not forgetting all the local markets to go and enjoy.
Upcoming events:
25-27 May | Mesa y López Market, Las Palmas de GC
28 May | Regional elections Day in Spain
30 May | Fiesta de la Lana in Caideros, Gáldar; and Canary Islands’ Day
31 May- 4 June | FISALDO 2023 – Outlet Fair at INFERCAR
3 June | The 8th Collectables Fair in Gáldar
4 June | STING concert
Upcoming bank holidays:
Monday, 29 May Local bank holiday in Valleseco: Fiesta del Patrón del Municipio – San Vicente Ferrer
Tuesday, May 30 Public Holiday in the Canary Islands – Canary Islands Day, Día de Canarias
We have a warm weekend ahead with highs of 25º C in the shade. Most of the weekend will be glorious, though the weather forecast can be a little changeable at this time of the year, it’s a good idea to check the skies around midday as any morning cloud you do encounter will most likely scatter as the sun comes up.
Sunshine, with occasional cloud cover, and a touch of light rain, are all possible scenarios for the upcoming weekend on Gran Canaria, though sub-tropical Summer rolls relentlessly toward us.
Jazz Festival Puerto de Mogán | until 20 May 🎵🎺
Jazz Festival ‘JAZZ in the SUN’ in the idyllic surrounds of Puerto De Mogan – Gran Canaria. RICHARD LEACH’S SUNSHINE JAZZ BAND entertains at the Marina Square Bandstand.
This is an wonderful annual event, a Jazz Festival in the most beautiful little tourist-cum-fishing harbour on Gran Canaria, Puerto de Mogán. The live music Jazz festival continues until this Saturday with the amazing Richard Leach Jazz Band.
From 19:30 to 23:00
Fiestas Maria Auxiliadora 2023 – Motor Grande, Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria | 19-24 May
Throughout the summer months, there are several fiestas and festivals worth visiting in the south-western municipality of Mogán. Many of these are based around religious feasts, while others celebrate traditions or produce important to the area, its history and culture.
The original, little residential area of the Puerto Rico Valley, Motor Grande, is celebrating its patronal fiestas, in honour of Maria Auxiliadora, (Mary the helper of Christians) between 19-24 May 2023. The program for this local festivity of events is organised by the Neighbourhood Association El Valle de Puerto Rico
On Friday:
at 19:00 Bouncy castles and mini-disco for the little ones in the family.
at 21:00 Night of humour (in spanish)
at 23:00 Verbena, party enlivened by Music group Leyenda Joven
On Saturday:
at 11:00 Bouncy castles and mini-disco for the little ones in the family.
at 19:00 Romería, pilgrimage offering for the patron saint.
at 21:00 The big party with lots of music and at midnight fireworks
On Sunday:
at 11:00 Party for the kids with mini-disco and a foam party.
at 14:00 Day time sun party with music by Yeray Socorro and Alberto Deniz
Wednesday, 24 May is the main feast Day with Mass and religious procession.
Did you know, Motor Grande is named after the large Rushton diesel engine that was brought to the valley, in the first years of the 20th century, to pump water from underground for tomato growing in the hills around modern-day Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria? The restored engine, and it’s little brother “El Chico”, both imported from Lincolnshire, England, can today be seen in the Urban Park (under the motorway bridges) and near the fire station (beside Mercadona) as you drive toward the residential community of Motor Grande.
Fiestas de El Tablero | until 21 May
A lovely local fiesta, often the first of the big summer fiestas is the patronal saint’s celebration in honour of the Holy Trinity, ‘Fiestas Patronales en honor a la Santísima Trinidad’ in the southern residential neighbourhood of El Tablero, on the other side of the GC-1 from Sonnenland from 11-21 May 2023.
On Friday:
at 17:00 children’s animation at Plaza
XI Dance and Sports Meeting : Workshops at 18:30 and the Gala event at 20:00 at the Plaza
at 21:30 Night of Music with Tribute concert, Tony Tun Tun, and more…
On Saturday:
at 11:00 Foam party for kids
at 12:00 Bajada de la Rama, lowering the branch procession from the school, IES Tablero, Aguañac
at 13:30 Foam Party for all with music as well as a play area for children with water attractions
at 18:30 eucharist at the church
at 22:30 Concert by José Vélez in the football stadium Eleuterio Valerón
at 23:45 Verbena, a party with musc at the Plaza
at 00:00 fireworks (low noise impact)
On Sunday:
at 12:00 Eucharist, followed by a religious procession.
at 14:00 traditional paella, outside the municipal sport centre
at 15:00 The big day party with Paco Guedes y Ochentour at the Plaza
at 21:00 the Gala to finish the festivities with a performance by Los Sabandeños
Sand, sea and mountains on the same canvas, open exhibition in Meloneras | 20-21 May
Festivities in honour of San Isidro Labrador in Artenara | 20-21 May
Festivities in honour of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers’, in the highest altitude village on Gran Canaria, Artenara this Saturday and Sunday.
On Saturday:
XVIII Romería Ofrenda, the 18th pilgrimage offering at 12:00. The traditional procession will leave from the end of Calle Párroco Domingo Báez joined by different carts from the municipality and accompanied by at least six music groups, local residents, their families, and the faithful.
At 13:30 offerings are made to the patron saint at Plaza San Matías.
at 15:00 Traditional Canaria music groups with music and dancing.
On Sunday:
at 10:00 Livestock exhibition in Atalaya
at 11:00 Handicrafts exhibition on Plaza de San Matías. Salto del Pastor (Shepherd’s leap, a type of traditional pole vaulting) exhibition.
at 11:15 tickets on sale for the Sancocho Canario (traditional dish) €3 which includes a serving tray and either beer/soft drink.
at 12:00 The Eucharist in the church.
at 13:00 a religious procession with the image of San Isidro Labrador and at 13:20 the livestock parade offering to the patron saint.
at 14:30 distributing the Canarian traditional dish, Sancocho Canaria in the Alameda alcalde Severiano Luján Cabrera and chance to visit the stalls of the neighbourhoods and handcrafts.
A gorgeous weekend to visit Artenara and all its wonderful viewpoints. The ethnographic museum of Cave Houses “Casas Cuevas Artenara” will also be open on both days for visits from 11:0-16:30.
Gran Canaria Rally | 19-20 May
The 62nd edition of the “Rally Isla de Gran Canaria” will take place this Friday and Saturday. This edition will have 88 teams on the official entry list published by Escudería Maspalomas and it is the fourth round of the Las Palmas BP Rally Championship and its different cups and promotional trophies.
The rally will continue its program on Friday with verifications from 12:00 to 18:00 in the parking area of the Gran Canaria Stadium, in Siete Palmas. At 19:10, the rally starts and at 19:30 crowds will enjoy the San Lorenzo show section.
On Saturday all the activity moves to Vega de San Mateo, with nine more sections (three passes through the Utiaca-Ariñez, Monte Gusano-Juncalillo and Tejeda-Ayacata specials), starting at 8:45 in the morning. The final arrival at 17:55 in the new San Mateo square, with a subsequent trophy ceremony.
On Friday:
SS1 “San Lorenzo” (3.48 km) – Show section
Road closure: San Lorenzo (GC-308) to Jardin Canario (GC-310) closed between 18:00-23:30
On Saturday:
TC 2, 5 and 8 “Utiaca-Ariñez” (9.8 km)
TC 3, 6 and 9 “Monte Gusano-Juncalillo” (10.1 km)
TC 4, 7 and 10 “Tejeda-Ayacata” (10.8 km)
Road closures:
Utiaca- Ariñez
The scenic and touristic GC-60 from the Tejeda ravine to Ayacata (500 meters before the Las Niñas Dam crossing):
from 12:40 to 15:25 and again from 16:00 to 18:45
“When there is a rally going on, it also means road closures during the various stages”
Casa Condal Telde – open doors | 21 May
Telde’s Ethnographic Museum, located in the Casa Condal this Sunday celebrates an Open Day, one of the activities with which the municipality will celebrate the build up to Day of the Canary Islands.
Visitors to this space will be able to enjoy an exhibition, from 10:30, of traditional clothing from the 18th century and a performance by the musical groups Ágora, the Tinguara, and the folkloric groups, Tajea, and Torna.
The Ethnographic Museum, run by the Telde town hall, has as its primary objective the preservation, investigation and dissemination of local traditions and customs through exhibitions, activities and events, promoting knowledge and appreciation for the culture of the city and its surroundings.
Day of Traditions in Tenteniguada, Valsequillo | 21 May
The neighbourhood of El Rincón de Tenteniguada, this Sunday, presents a special day where rural customs and crafts of the Canary Islands come together on the “Day of Traditions”, in this delightful little corner of the south-east mountain area overlooking Valsequillo and Telde.
The old trades and characters of a time-gone-by will appear in a live recreation of a traditional agricultural life that began to disappear back in the 1950s. The “Day of Traditions” relives the characteristic bustle of fieldwork and returns to where the neighbours gathered to thresh or strip. A set of scenes will recall images from another era where you will see the land being plowed with a team and how branches and young crops were planted in this month of May. An event in which new generations may be impregnated with the ethnography and popular culture of the Canary Islands.
On this occasion, this day is dedicated to working the land and traditional trades, with a walking route, through various emblematic moments in living memory. Through the different streets of the neighbourhood will be where we see threshing, plowing, shepherds, and the work of the field as well as crafts in exhibition. The whole tour will be animated with music from different music groups that will perform throughout the day.
Park in Tenteniguada and take the shuttle bus up
Also this Sunday, there will be a free shuttle from the nearby village of Tenteniguada, on the main GC41 between Valsequillo and San Mateo, that will link with the event in El Rincón de Tenteniguada, from the morning, every 15 minutes (from 09:30-17:00). Parking space has been set up in Tenteniguada where the free shuttle will take visitors to the bus stop in El Rincón. There will be conferences organised by the La Parada de El Rincón Youth Association and the Valsequillo Town Council, with the collaboration of the General Directorate for Youth of the Government of the Canary Islands, Presidency of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria.
Bio Market in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria | 21 May
This Sunday, Bio Market at Anatura, La casa de las Semillas in the butterfly garden at the back of the British club, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Discover the many brands of natural cosmetics, local arts, and crafts, handmade jewellery, artisanal, vegan, and gluten-free pastries, options for having a healthy lunch, and participate in the programming of talks and workshops offered for free.
Make your weekly purchase of organic fruits and vegetables and KM.0 with Biosol Canarias and ECO EN GUÍA who will also make you the most hydrating and perfect organic smoothies to refresh you after any of the activities like yoga.
There will be live music, children’s theatre, activities by the children’s company Mi Nanny and an ideal and healthy environment to spend an ideal Sunday with the family
Pets are welcome and admission is free 🙏🏼
From 10:00-18:00
Gáldar in Flower | until 24 May 🌺🌴
More than 11,000 plants and flowers give extra colour to the historic centre of Gáldar until 24 May, in the 3rd edition of their new summer exhibition ‘Gáldar en Flor’. Geraniums, begonias, sunflowers, daisies, lavenders, rosemary and a wide selection of plants will decorate the route along Calle Capitán Quesada and around Plaza de Santiago accompanied by artistic compositions and fantasies that always surprise the visitor.
This is the spring edition of ‘Flower Week’ which has traditionally only been held in December, and takes advantage of the great variety available during this time of year to add colour to the historic centre of the municipality. The Department of Parks and Gardens of the Gáldar City Council, directed by Carmen Pilar Mendoza Ramos, organises this exhibition featuring plants and flowers grown at Viveros Godoy, S.L, Poinsettias de Canarias S.L., Viveros Gáldar, S.L., and in the municipal nursery itself of the Gáldar Town Hall.
Stone and Flower in Arucas | until 21 May
It’s a gorgeous time to visit the famous town of Arucas this weekend with ‘Piedra y Flor‘ event, full of plants and sculptures, culture, biodiversity, landscape, architecture, music, and local history.
The beautiful, significant public spaces in this historic town centre are transformed over these days.
Highlights this weekend:
On Friday:
Gastronomic area in Parque de las Flores from 17:00-24:00
at 21:30 concert by NonTrubada
On Saturday:
Gastronomic area in Parque de las Flores from 10:00-20:00
Business Fair “Piedra y Flor” 10:00-20:00
Workshops for adults and children
at 12:30 a lively little music parade by the group Taenza, from Plaza de San Juan via calle León y Castillo, Plaza de la Constitución and Parque de las Flores.
at 21:00 concert Althay Timplista at Plaza de la Constitución
On Sunday:
Gastronomic area in Parque de las Flores from 10:00-17:00
Business Fair “Piedra y Flor” 10:00-14:00
at 12:00 Concert by Granjeros at Plaza de la Constitución
The Agricultural Market Vecindario | 20 May
The biweekly Saturday MERCADO AGRÍCOLA DE VECINDARIO, The Agricultural Market in Vecindario takes place on the main street at the Plaza de Los Algodoneros (next to the Hotel Avenida de Canarias ) 🍉🌼🥔🥑🍌 Get the best seasonal fruit and vegetables, bread, flowers and much more, straight from the local farmers and producers.
From 08:30 – 13:30 Plaza de Los Algodoneros
“It is also the perfect opportunity to explore the kilometres-long main street of this neighbourhood, Avenida de Canarias.”
Markets in the south of Gran Canaria
• Friday is always market day in Playa de Mogán in the morning. This popular market is in one of the prettiest fishing harbour towns on Gran Canaria, very popular with tourists.
• On Saturday, the Maspalomas market offers all kinds of textiles, Objet d‘art and other articles, located now in a new venue at Parque Europeo in Playa del Inglés, while the municipal market is being re-built. It is one of the markets most enjoyed among visitors along with Friday’s in Playa de Mogán;
El Mercadillo de Maspalomas is on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 08:00 to 14:00.
• On Saturday in Arguineguín, a small second-hand market on Plaza Negra (the marketplace) in the morning 09:00-14:00 with a wide range pre-loved treasures.
• On Sunday, the “rastro” second-hand market, ****The second-hand market now takes place in the Ciudad deportiva de Maspalomas, next to football field 2 and close to Pepe Chiringo and Parque Sur de Maspalomas.
• This Sunday, the biweekly little farmers’ and Artisan Market of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria.
Live music this weekend
THE CHAMPIONS
The Champions are a husband and wife – guitar/vocal duo playing 50’s/60’s Rock N Roll/Rockabilly as well as so much more…
THE 19th HOLE MELONERAS
Bar & Grill in the shopping centre Varadero in Meloneras. Live Music every night from 22:00
KELLY MARLOW
The astounding US Rock sensation, now a local star on Gran Canaria, playing out to an international audience and live across the airwaves.
On Saturday at (ROCKABELLA in Playa del Inglés at 18:00-21:00 and later at THE SHAMROCK BAR at 22:30
On Sunday at THE SHAMROCK BAR in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria at 22:30
BARBACOA SHOW BAR – EUROPA CENTRE IN PUERTO RICO DE GRAN CANARIA
Drinks, Food, Children’s play area, piano bar, sports, and much more. and not forgetting the Sunday Roast Dinner from 1pm to 6pm.
Open every day from 08:00-02:00
On Friday: Hostess: Kezza Belle & ABBA Gold Tribute
On Saturday: Hostess AndriAna & Tom Jone & UB40 Tribute
On Sunday: Hostess AndriAna & Missee, the Drag Comedian
Entertainment on from 21:00