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| Tenerife Fiestas in January 2016 |
The Plaza del Príncipe in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and the Plaza del Adelantado in La Laguna are hosting, from 2nd to 5th January, the traditional Los Reyes (Three Kings) Crafts Fairs, with stalls from a total of 79 artisans. In both, the extended opening hours are from 11:00am to 10:00pm on each of the three days. (Feria de Artesanía en Reyes 2016 en Santa Cruz y La Laguna)The night of January 5th sees the much awaited arrival of Los Reyes (The Three Kings) and January 6th is a public holiday, as Epiphany is the biggest family day of the holiday season.
In Santa Cruz, once again, they will be arriving to the Heliodoro Rodríguez López football stadium at around 5pm, then their procession takes place from the Avenida Bélgica ending in the Plaza de La Candelaria, between 7pm and 9pm.
In Adeje, The Three Kings will arrive at Adeje Football Pitch in a helicopter, at 5pm after which are children's entertainments and a grand cavalcade through the streets. Llegada del Helicóptero de SSMM Los Reyes Magos de Oriente
Almost all towns on the island will get a visit from Their Majesties. Should be easy to find: just aim for the centre of town and follow the [other] screaming kids!
Many towns and villages on the island will celebrate the Fiestas of San Antonio Abad (Saint Anthony the Abbot) and my pick would be the Feria Artesanía y Ganado San Antonio Abad 2016 – Los Silos (Crafts and Livestock Fair in Los Silos). The main activities are on Sunday, 17th January, starting at 10:00 hours with the Craft Fair taking place, until 19:00 pm in the Plaza de la Luz, courtyard of the former Convent of San Sebastian and the streets Olivo and Felix Benitez Lugo with the participation of 80 craftspeople. At the same time, in the grounds at the rear of the Convent of San Sebastian in Los Silos, the Exhibition of Livestock and pets will gather.
San Antonio Abad is the main protagonist also in the Fiestas Patronales y Romería de San Antonio Abad 2016 (the town's patron) in Arona, which culminate on Sunday, 17th January, with the traditional Romería that begins at 12:30 hrs. There the activities will be centered around the Plaza del Cristo, in the centre of Arona and the streets; Calle El Calvario, Calle Domínguez Alfonso, Calle La Luna, Calle Duque de la Torre.
There is an assumption that to see the ‘real’ Tenerife visitors have to go north, but not so. Anyone staying in Los Cristianos or Playa de las Americas is less than twenty minutes from this event, which takes place in the narrow streets of Arona.
On a possibly much smaller scale, there is also the Romeria San Antonio Abad 2016 Chio on Sunday, 17th January, from mid-day, in the village of Chio.
On Sunday, 24th January, the town of Güímar celebrates its Romería de San Antonio Abad. As is tradition, this pilgrimage will include the exhibition of farm animals, pets and exotic species, and the participation of folk groups from the municipality and other parts of the island. Events begin on Sunday, from 9:00 am, with the arrival and gathering of all the animals for the shows. At 11:00 am, in the church of Santo Domingo, there will be a Mass in honor of San Antonio followed by the pilgrimage, involving folk groups, clergy and municipal authorities. The Romería will proceed the blessing of all the attending animals. There will also be the Craft Fair with 37 stalls.
The final weekend of of the month, on Sunday, January 31st, sees the celebration of the Fiestas de San Antonio Abad in Buenavista del Norte with it's traditional Feria de Ganado (Livestock Fair) and Romería. The Livestock Fair takes place from 11 am at the Urbanización Las Marinas in the Triana district of the town, whilst at the same time, mass is said in honour of the saint at the church of Ntra. Sra. de Los Remedios, after which the icon is taken in procession to the livestock enclosure, where the animals will be blessed at 1 pm.
At 2 pm the Romería of San Antonio Abad leaves from Triana, through the streets to the Plaza de Los Remedios where the awards ceremony will take place. Events of the day are rounded off with dancing to the Malibu Band.
Meanwhile, in the district of La Florida in La Orotava, as the culmination of their 10 day long program of fiestas for San Antonio Abad y la Virgen de La Esperanza 2016, the 35th Romería of San Antonio Abad and the Virgen de La Esperanza also begins at 2 pm, with the participation of musicians, carts, wagons, etc.
As well as national, regional and island-specific public holidays, each municipality in Tenerife also has its own local public holidays.
As they do every year, Los Reyes (the Three Magi from the East) will be arriving in various locations in Tenerife tonight as part of their busy schedule delivering gifts to both children and adults alike. The well-behaved ones anyway.
In Santa Cruz, once again, they will be arriving to the Heliodoro Rodríguez López football stadium at around 5pm, then their procession takes place from the Avenida Bélgica ending in the Plaza de La Candelaria, between 7pm and 9pm.
In Adeje, The Three Kings will arrive at Adeje Football Pitch in a helicopter, at 5pm after which are children's entertainments and a grand cavalcade through the streets. Llegada del Helicóptero de SSMM Los Reyes Magos de Oriente
Almost all towns on the island will get a visit from Their Majesties. Should be easy to find: just aim for the centre of town and follow the [other] screaming kids!
Many towns and villages on the island will celebrate the Fiestas of San Antonio Abad (Saint Anthony the Abbot) and my pick would be the Feria Artesanía y Ganado San Antonio Abad 2016 – Los Silos (Crafts and Livestock Fair in Los Silos). The main activities are on Sunday, 17th January, starting at 10:00 hours with the Craft Fair taking place, until 19:00 pm in the Plaza de la Luz, courtyard of the former Convent of San Sebastian and the streets Olivo and Felix Benitez Lugo with the participation of 80 craftspeople. At the same time, in the grounds at the rear of the Convent of San Sebastian in Los Silos, the Exhibition of Livestock and pets will gather.
San Antonio Abad is the main protagonist also in the Fiestas Patronales y Romería de San Antonio Abad 2016 (the town's patron) in Arona, which culminate on Sunday, 17th January, with the traditional Romería that begins at 12:30 hrs. There the activities will be centered around the Plaza del Cristo, in the centre of Arona and the streets; Calle El Calvario, Calle Domínguez Alfonso, Calle La Luna, Calle Duque de la Torre.There is an assumption that to see the ‘real’ Tenerife visitors have to go north, but not so. Anyone staying in Los Cristianos or Playa de las Americas is less than twenty minutes from this event, which takes place in the narrow streets of Arona.
On a possibly much smaller scale, there is also the Romeria San Antonio Abad 2016 Chio on Sunday, 17th January, from mid-day, in the village of Chio.
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| San Sebastian Festival 2016 in Adeje |
A celebration that dates back to the late nineteenth century are the fiestas of San Sebastián in La Caleta, Adeje that attracts thousands to see the procession of horsemen accompanying the image on the morning of January 20th.
- 19th January 20:00 hrs. Ermita de San Sebastián (La Enramada beach) Mass sung by the Parranda El Mesturao in honour of San Sebastián Mártir (Saint Sebastian). 21:00 hrs. Procession with the image of San Sebastián, accompanied by the Banda del Patronato Musical de la Histórica Villa de Adeje (Town Band). At the return to the church, there will be "an offering of fireworks".
- 20th January 12:00 hrs. Eucharist in honour of San Sebastián Mártir, sung by the Coro Parroquial Santa Úrsula de Adeje (Choir), followed by the customary procession, accompanied by the Banda del Patronato Musical de la Histórica Villa de Adeje (Town Band), at the end of which will be the traditional blessing of the animals.
On Sunday, 24th January, the town of Güímar celebrates its Romería de San Antonio Abad. As is tradition, this pilgrimage will include the exhibition of farm animals, pets and exotic species, and the participation of folk groups from the municipality and other parts of the island. Events begin on Sunday, from 9:00 am, with the arrival and gathering of all the animals for the shows. At 11:00 am, in the church of Santo Domingo, there will be a Mass in honor of San Antonio followed by the pilgrimage, involving folk groups, clergy and municipal authorities. The Romería will proceed the blessing of all the attending animals. There will also be the Craft Fair with 37 stalls.
The final weekend of of the month, on Sunday, January 31st, sees the celebration of the Fiestas de San Antonio Abad in Buenavista del Norte with it's traditional Feria de Ganado (Livestock Fair) and Romería. The Livestock Fair takes place from 11 am at the Urbanización Las Marinas in the Triana district of the town, whilst at the same time, mass is said in honour of the saint at the church of Ntra. Sra. de Los Remedios, after which the icon is taken in procession to the livestock enclosure, where the animals will be blessed at 1 pm.At 2 pm the Romería of San Antonio Abad leaves from Triana, through the streets to the Plaza de Los Remedios where the awards ceremony will take place. Events of the day are rounded off with dancing to the Malibu Band.
Meanwhile, in the district of La Florida in La Orotava, as the culmination of their 10 day long program of fiestas for San Antonio Abad y la Virgen de La Esperanza 2016, the 35th Romería of San Antonio Abad and the Virgen de La Esperanza also begins at 2 pm, with the participation of musicians, carts, wagons, etc.As well as national, regional and island-specific public holidays, each municipality in Tenerife also has its own local public holidays.
Those in January 2016 are:
Almond Flower Routes: Two routes this year, organised by Santiago del Teide on Saturday, 30th January and a second one, arranged by the Tenerife Cabildo, on Sunday, 31st.
On Saturday, 30th January, the XIX Ruta del Almendro en Flor (19th Almond Flower Route) has a 4.5 hour high difficulty "long route" or a 3 hour medium to low difficulty "short route", both leaving the plaza in Santiago del Teide at 08:30 hrs.
- La Guancha: 18th January - Día de Nuestra Señora de La Esperanza
- Adeje: 20th January - Festival of San Sebastián
- Los Realejos: 22nd January - Festival of San Vicente
- 17th January - Fiestas of San Antonio Abad in Arona, Buenavista del Norte, Güímar, La Florida (La Orotava) and Los Silos.
- 21st January - Fiestas of San Sebastián in Adeje
- 22nd January - Fiestas of San Antonio Abad in Icod de Los Vinos
- 22nd January - Fiestas of San Sebastián in Los Realejos
Almond Flower Routes: Two routes this year, organised by Santiago del Teide on Saturday, 30th January and a second one, arranged by the Tenerife Cabildo, on Sunday, 31st.On Saturday, 30th January, the XIX Ruta del Almendro en Flor (19th Almond Flower Route) has a 4.5 hour high difficulty "long route" or a 3 hour medium to low difficulty "short route", both leaving the plaza in Santiago del Teide at 08:30 hrs.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, 31st January, the Tenerife Cabildo and the Tenerife Rural Fundación have organised a 9km average-difficulty walk with a specialist guide, details at Tenerife Cabildo’s Almond Blossom Route in Santiago del Teide. Inscription for this walk needs to be made by Thursday, 28th January.
Previous inscription (and payment) is required to go on these walks (which have limited places), which can be done via the Santiago del Teide Town Hall website.
And even if you don't wish to join one of these organised walks, this signals that now is probably the right time to take a trip up to Santiago del Teide and particularly the Arguayo valley to see the almonds in blossom.
And even if you don't wish to join one of these organised walks, this signals that now is probably the right time to take a trip up to Santiago del Teide and particularly the Arguayo valley to see the almonds in blossom.
Alongside the walks, Santiago del Teide is also holding their XIX Concurso de Fotografía “Almendro en Flor” (Almond Flower Photographic Contest), which they say is open to anyone over 18 of any nationality and country of residence.
There is also the Muestra gastronómica de la Ruta del Almendro en Flor - linked gastronomic event - in which 13 bars and restaurants in the municipality are offering special breakfasts and menus between January 23rd and February 20th, where the principal ingredient is the almond.
There is also the Muestra gastronómica de la Ruta del Almendro en Flor - linked gastronomic event - in which 13 bars and restaurants in the municipality are offering special breakfasts and menus between January 23rd and February 20th, where the principal ingredient is the almond.