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Tenerife sells sunshine all year round. However, the charms of this island are infinite. You will fall in love with its culture, its people and, above all, its festivals. Don't miss the opportunity to join us in a good "romería". And what about Carnaval? Here we make a list of the most important events of Tenerife, divided by category.
Traditional popular festivals
▪︎ CARNIVAL
Around February or March
This celebration, which lasts almost two weeks, is the emblem of the city of Santa Cruz and one of the most famous carnivals in the world, second only to Rio de Janeiro.
▪︎ THE ROMERÍAS
From April to October
Music, crafts, food, traditional costumes and dances, joy and colour... all of this is a romería, the festival of Canarian folklore by excellence. Each municipality has its own and they are a time of collective leisure to recall the habits of rural life. Here are our favourites:
- April > Tegueste
- May > Los Realejos
- June > La Orotava
- July > La Laguna
- August > Garachico
- September > El Médano
▪︎ LAS HOGUERAS DE SAN JUAN (THE BONFIRES OF SAN JUAN)
June 23rd
On the night of the eve of San Juan in several municipalities of the island, at nightfall, bonfires are lit to welcome the summer solstice.
▪︎ LAS FIESTAS DE SAN ANDRÉS (FESTIVITIES OF SAN ANDRÉS)
Noviembre 29th
It is a celebration that falls on the day of the onomastic of San Andrés but that does not have any religious character and is celebrated in two different municipalities of the island: Icod de los Vinos and Puerto de la Cruz.
Formerly in Icod de los Vinos wood was used as a means of transport for materials and people, sliding the planks along the numerous slopes that make up the orography of the valley. In fact, there was an uninterrupted route from where the pine trunks were cut down to the coast. This "route of the boards" was the one that originated one of the most singular celebrations of all Tenerife, where the most daring, climbed in wooden boards, slide downhill and at great speed through the main streets of the town.
Meanwhile in Puerto de la Cruz the neighbours gather in the Plaza del Charco with a pile of scrap metal tied with wires and drag it all over the centre of town. The objective? Make as much noise as possible. It is believed that this tradition was started by the winemakers on the eve of San Andrés, since in order to allow the new wine to enter, the barrels were rolled towards the coast so that they could be cleaned with sea water. This caused a characteristic noise that the children and young people then reproduced with their pots and pans the next day.
Religious festivals
▪︎ FIESTAS DE LA CRUZ (FESTIVITIES OF THE CROSS)
May 3rd
On the day of the Cross, in several municipalities but especially in the capital, dozens of giant crosses made up of flowers and fruits are assembled and placed on the ramblas of the city. It is typical to walk among them and vote for the most beautiful.
▪︎ ALFOMBRAS DEL CORPUS (CORPUS CARPETS)
May and June
The main act of the Corpus Christi of the Orotava is the making of carpets of flowers showing religious scenes and ornamental motifs. The most famous of them all is the large sand tapestry that covers the Town Hall Square and takes a whole month to make. This carpet is made exclusively with sand from the Cañadas del Teide.
▪︎ CELEBRATIONS OF THE VIRGEN DEL CARMEN
Mid - July
It is an event where thousands of people gather to witness the procession and shipment of the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of sailors. This event has its maximum commemoration in Puerto de la Cruz in the area of San Telmo.
▪︎ CANDELARIA FESTIVITIES
August 15th
During the 15th of August the most important pilgrimage of Tenerife is celebrated. Believers from all parts of the island come to the square of the Basilica of Candelaria to pay tribute to their patron saint. Many leave the day before and spend the night walking to arrive in time to give their own offering.
▪︎ CORAZONES DE TEJINA (THE HEARTS OF TEJINA)
Around the 24th of August
Every year at the end of August, one of the most colourful festivals on the island is celebrated in Tejina: the hearts festival. The main protagonists are wooden and iron structures 12 metres high, covered with flowers, fruits and flour cakes that represent different patterns (religious, agricultural, folkloric, etc...). The three big hearts, which symbolise the old neighbourhoods and weigh more than 800 kilos each, are carried by the men of the village to the church square. This festival, which is more than 100 years old, lasts approximately 15 days and is full of events. One of the most eagerly awaited, on the eve of the Big Day, are the fires that little by little and with the sound of bells, are lit until they form a giant heart on the slope of the mountain.
▪︎ FIESTAS DEL CRISTO (FEAST OF CHRIST)
Early September
In the city of La Laguna in September the festivities in honour of the Holy Christ are celebrated. The 14th is the main day where the traditional military parade, the magna procession, the night party and the pyrotechnic exhibition take place.
Festivals
▪︎ MIRADAS DOC
Between January and February
International documentary film festival and market that has been held for more than 12 years in the town of Guía de Isora. As the name of the event indicates, the documentaries presented are watchful glances that explore the social reality of the planet through cinematographic language.
http://miradasdoc.com
▪︎ MUECA
Early May
It is a Street Art Festival located in Puerto de la Cruz where you can enjoy theatre, circus, dance and visual arts. A cultural proposal that has more than 10 years introducing companies of internationally recognized artists.
http://www.festivalmueca.com/
▪︎ HIDROSFERA
End of May
It is a cultural and ecological festival which aims to raise environmental awareness through concerts and free workshops. It has been held four times and is expected to become an unmissable event in Punta del Hidalgo.
▪︎ FICMEC
Between May and June
This is the International Environmental Film Festival of the Canary Islands that takes place every year in Garachico. Through its sections of feature films and short films, together with its parallel activities such as talks and workshops, it reflects on the importance of ecology and human actions on the environment.
http://ficmec.es/
▪︎ CANARIAS JAZZ
July
An itinerant festival with different stages distributed among Santa Cruz, La Laguna and Puerto de la Cruz, and which features first names in international jazz music.
http://www.canariasjazz.com/en/
▪︎ BOREAL
Mid - September
It is a free four-day festival, which has shown edition after edition that a musical event can be eco-sustainable, accessible, familiar, playful and educational all at the same time. Every year, they are committed to discovering new talents, inviting above all international and local artists. Boreal is much more than music, it is a commitment to cultural and sustainable tourism, gastronomy and crafts of the island, all in the unique environment of the village of Los Silos.
http://festivalboreal.org/
▪︎ OROTAVA SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
Early November
An unmissable event for film lovers, organised every autumn in the Villa de la Orotava. A three-day event in which great professionals from today's film industry participate and in which film culture is promoted, particularly that of short films.
https://festivalcortosorotava.com/
Sports events
▪︎ TENERIFE WALKING FESTIVAL
May
It is an open meeting to hikers from all over the continent that combines excursions along different trails on the island with different activities. A project to encourage sports tourism and have the opportunity to see Tenerife from another perspective.
http://www.tenerifewalkingfestival.com/
▪︎ TENERIFE BLUETRAIL
June
It is an ultramarathon in the mountains that offers five different modalities for people with or without disabilities, and is considered one of the most important trail running roads in the Canary Islands and Spain.
https://www.tenerifebluetrail.com/
▪︎ WINDSURFING CHAMPIONSHIP
August
Although not a fixed event, El Médano has hosted the Professional Windsurfers Association (PWA) World Windsurfing Championship for many consecutive years. The constant wind that sweeps the beaches of this town in the south of Tenerife makes this place an ideal site for water sports such as surfing or windsurfing.
Handcrafts fairs
▪︎ PINOLERE FAIR
Early September
The Pinolere Fair is part of the initiative to disseminate Canarian culture and products. This event is held every year at the ethnographic site of Pinolere, in La Orotava, and each edition focuses on a different theme, always within the framework of local craftsmanship. The Fair is accompanied by different activities that are attractive to all audiences, such as live workshops, live concerts and kiosks with food made in the Canary Islands.
▪︎ TRICONTINENTAL CRAFT FAIR
End of October
The aim of this fair is to promote and disseminate crafts from all Atlantic countries, transforming Tenerife into an intercultural bridge between the peoples of Latin America, Africa and southern Europe. Every year more than 200 artisans from 18 different countries gather in Santa Cruz to share their skills in exhibitions, workshops, music and catwalks.
