After more than 20 years, posts here will now only be occasional ( |
| Reenactors recreate the Gesta del 25 de julio |
There are no public holidays in the month, but a few local holidays:
- 12 July: Festivity of the Virgen del Carmen in Puerto de la Cruz
- 25 July: Festivity of Santiago Apóstol in Santiago del Teide
- 26 July: Festivity of Santa Ana in Candelaria and Santiago del Teide
July 3rd is the Anniversary of the Derrame del vino, when local wine producers poured gallons of Malmsey wine down the drain in Garachico in protest over ruinous prices driven by the British monopoly of the sector.
The Grandes Fiestas de Julio (Great July Festivities) are back after hiatus in Puerto de la Cruz and we bring you a preview of the most important events. These began on June 29th with an inauguration and presentation of candidates for the Queen of the Festivities, who will be elected at the Gala on Thursday, 7 July.On Friday, 8 July there will be an Opening Parade to the Festivities.On Saturday, 9 July is the ticket-only Dinner and Costume Country Dance.
Sunday, 10 July sees the Mass and Procession of the Gran Poder de Dios.
With a further Procession of the Gran Poder de Dios (Great Power of God) on Monday, 11 July, and in the evening the Sardinada (Sardine Cook Out) - this will involve sardine based street food and, undoubtedly, entertainments.
The big day of these festivities is Tuesday, 12 July, Día de la Virgen del Carmen (The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel) - for the Embarcación de Nuestra Señora del Carmen y San Telmo (Embarkation of Our Lady of Carmen and San Telmo), a procession in boats that draws crowds of tens of thousands to the area around the Old Fishing Port and involves a lot of them getting wet.
It was 1921 when the parish of Nuestra Señora de la Peña de Francia decided to celebrate in this way. The first maritime procession of the Virgen del Carmen was held on July 12, 1921, but last year it was not held for its centenary, because of the pandemic, so this will be a much awaited and very special edition.
The Virgen del Carmen is the patron saint of fishermen, and is celebrated in many municipalities of Tenerife, but it is in Puerto de la Cruz where it reaches its peak.
The images are carried in procession by the fishermen, from their hermitage to the small beach of the fishing pier. There they are embarked and processed along the coast. For most of the fishermen, this is a long-awaited day, in which they sing to the Virgin the “Salve Reina de los Mares” (Save the Queen of the Seas).
It all starts in the early hours of the morning, when the pier fills with visitors, and after mass, is the Chocolatada, where chocolates are distributed to start the festivities. When the Virgin is taken to the shores of the sea, the onlookers try to enter the water to wet her with the salt water. Later the Virgin leaves in procession through the streets of Puerto de la Cruz. At the end, a great firework display is made and the images return to their respective churches.
On Saturday, 16 July, there is a Procession of Nuestra Señora del Carmen.
And on Sunday, 17 July, the Embarcación chiquita (Little Embarkation).
Fiestas y Patrimonio Histórico Artístico de Puerto de la Cruz | La multitudinaria procesión y embarque de la “Virgen del Carmen y de San Telmo” en Puerto de la Cruz será este martes
The Canarias Jazz & Más Festival will offer more than 60 concerts in 26 spaces on the eight islands between July 1 and 24, 2022. The figures leave no room for doubt: more than 60 concerts distributed in 26 spaces on the eight islands make up the offer of the 31st Festival Internacional Canarias Jazz & Más, in which 35 musical projects will participate, 14 of them conceived in the Archipelago. Nearly 200 musicians will travel between July 1 and 24 for this cultural meeting, which once again has the support of the Government of the Canary Islands through the Vice-Ministry of Culture and Heritage.
Marcus Miller, winner of two Grammys; Gregory Porter, who adds two other awards; and the San Francisco Jazz Collective (SFJAZZ Collective) project, directed by saxophonist Chris Potter, also winner of a Grammy, will be some of the main attractions of the program, presented today at a press conference at the Espacio La Granja in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Back after the inevitable hiatus, is the 20th edition of the Day of Traditions in Chirche, the main events of which take place on Sunday, 10 July 2022. Starting from 10 am visitors to the village will be offered the opportunity to immerse in a scenario of daily life of the 40s. The local residents, dressed in the clothes of that time, perform the activities of those years while recalling old trades, for example, you can see how the wheat was toasted and how the fretwork or basketry was made, as well as enter the workshop of a seamstress of yesteryear. You will also have the opportunity to buy artisanal products, such as pastries, liqueurs, honey, bags, fruits and baskets. There's free transport from 9:30 am, every half hour, from the Guardia Civil Barracks in Guía de Isora until 4:00 p.m.Chirche is located at an altitude of 800 meters, 5 minutes from Guía de Isora. It is a quiet and picturesque farming community, ideal for observing examples of typical Canarian architecture. This hamlet is of Guanche origin (known thanks to the archaeological traces that are still preserved), but its history as a town itself dates back to the second half of the 17th century. It is not known exactly in which years the houses were built, although most of them are from the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1737, the hamlet appears in records cited with 17 dwellings (85 inhabitants) dedicated to sowing and grazing, having developed from farming sponsored by the lords of the Santiago Valley. In the 19th century there was a new development with the cultivation of prickly pears for cochineal, thus in 1865 it appears recorded with 161 inhabitants. Thanks to the conservation of these houses and the rich ethnographic heritage it possesses, Chirche was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 2008.
On Sunday 10 July - always the second Sunday of the said month - the Romería Regional de San Benito Abad takes place in La Laguna. This is the only Romería that is denominated Regional and is declared of tourist interest, so is one of the most important and is considered as the most representative of the Canary Islands. It is held in honour of San Benito Abad (St. Benedict of Nursia), the patron saint of farmers of Tenerife. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Pilgrimage.The 75th edition of the Regional Pilgrimage of San Benito Abad will premiere, on July 10, a remodelled route, which "is similar because it runs through the historic streets of the municipality, but we reduce the turns with both the beginning and the end at the Church of San Benito, Pl. San Benito, 1, 38202 La Laguna.
The San Benito Abad 2022 festivities are already underway: The program officially started on Thursday, 30 June, with the reading of the proclamation. The program of events for one of the major events on the Laguna festival calendar, in which there are around thirty popular events that will last until July 17.
Religious events and activities of a cultural, recreational, folklore, gastronomic and livestock nature will take place, without forgetting sports events and events especially for children. Outstanding items include the election gala for the Romera Mayor de las Fiestas (July 2), the fourth Pedro Molina Memorial (on the 5th, with a recognition of traditional trades and a tribute to Pepe Rojas), or the Ocho Islands Festival (on the 9th, with artists representing all the islands of the Archipelago). The traditional country dance will be held on the evening of Friday, July 8, which in a few hours sold out the reservations for the 450 tables.
On the big day of the festivities, Sunday the 10th, the Regional Pilgrimage changes its route, due to the works on San Agustín street. The delegation will leave at noon from the hermitage of San Benito, through Marqués de Celada streets, Doctor Olivera square, and Herradores, Viana, Obispo Rey Redondo and Adelantado streets, returning through Marqués de Celada to the starting point.
As a novelty, on Sunday the 17th, the image of San Benito will make an extraordinary procession, visiting the San Diego neighbourhood and the Livestock Fair, where the cattle will be blessed. The entourage will be accompanied by ceremonial dances, the drumbeat of the tajaraste, and a boat.
Alongside, a Ruta de la Tapa returns to La Laguna for the Fiestas de San Benito with 40 gastronomic proposals. The XIV edition recovers its usual date after the pandemic and maintains prices of 3.50 euros per cover and drink.
The city of La Laguna hosts on Thursday, July 14, starting at 7:00 p.m., its traditional Noche de los Burros (Night of the Donkeys), an event dedicated to this animal that in past times was fundamental in agricultural tasks and transportation and that constitutes one of the the most anticipated events, especially by the children, within the Festivities in honour of San Benito Abad. The Romería de los Burros (Pilgrimage of the Donkeys), as this parade is also known, in which more than 40 donkeys, mules and ponies from different parts of Tenerife will participate, will start from the Plaza del Adelantado to the Plaza de San Benito and will be accompanied by a fanfare and various folk groups.
The Council of Granadilla de Abona, through the Employment and Local Development Agency (AEDL), has organised on Friday, July 15, a Día del Pescador (Fisherman's Day) in Los Abrigos, in collaboration with the Regulatory Council of the Abona Denomination of Origin and the San Blas and Virgen del Carmen Cultural Association, in the surroundings of the pier and fish market.
The Livestock Fair of La Laguna returns as part of the San Benito festivities. An important date, which reaches its 43rd edition after two years without being able to meet due to the pandemic. Despite this parenthesis, the commitment of the City Council of La Laguna with the livestock sector has remained firm during this time, through direct subsidies and aid to native breeds to face the consequences of the pandemic and maintain activity. A commitment that leads us to promote this Fair with a larger budget and more activities for all audiences, showing the potential of the livestock sector for sustainable and high quality food production.There are various activities in the program (PDF) over three days, but the Livestock or Cattle Fair takes place on Sunday, 17 July 2022 at the Casa del Ganadero, 38206, Av. de San Diego, 74, 38208 La Laguna. The animals will arrive between 7 and 10 am and the participation of about 200 heads of cattle and 400 sheep, goats, horses and donkeys, are expected.
Activities throughout the day, include: tasting of various examples of Tenerife honey, a goat milking contest, Arrastre de Ganado (pairs of oxen pulling loads), tasting of extra virgin olive oils from the Canary Islands and artisan breads; tasting of craft beers along with artisan cheeses and beauty contest for crossbred horses.
More exciting rally action as the XXII Subida a San Miguel de Abona (22nd San Miguel de Abona Hillclimb), will be held on July 22 and 23. After the last edition was held in 2019, the Escudería Motor Abona returns again with engines ready, for this event. As the organizing committee of the Motor Abona team already commented, they are working non-stop, with great desire and enthusiasm.
The biggest events in any July are:
- The Romería Regional de San Benito Abad in La Laguna, which is usually held on the second Sunday of July each year.
- Also on the second Sunday of July, the Day of Traditions in Chirche.
- The Embarkation of the Virgen del Carmen in Puerto de la Cruz, on the Tuesday prior to 16 July - this year on Tuesday 12 July.
- 25 July is the anniversary of the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (1797) and the city celebrates its victory over Horatio Nelson.
This year there is an ample program of events to Commemorate the 225th Anniversary of the Gesta de 25 de Julio (25th July Attempt) - the infamous failed British attempt on Santa Cruz, otherwise known as the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (1797) - the only battle that Horatio Nelson ever lost and the one in which he lost his arm. Hero of the day for the locals was Commander-General Antonio Gutiérrez de Otero y Santayana who defended the island and, in gentlemanly manner, allowed the British to leave with their weapons and war honours.
And, like so many events, this was unable to take place during the pandemic, so it will be unmissable being back after two years and a significant anniversary.
The commemorative events began on the 13th with conferences, workshops and exhibitions. On Friday, 22 July 2022, a camp will be set up at the Alameda del Duque de Santa Elena (Plaza de España), from where the soldiers will parade, at 8 pm, to the Castillo Negro (Castle of St John the Baptist), where at 9 pm, the Recreation of the landing of the British Troops and Battle will be performed.
The encampment will remain during Saturday, 23 July 2022, where there will be live recreations of life in an encampment of the period with workshops, and from 8:30 pm, there will be recreations of the principle combats in the Alameda del Duque de Santa Elena, Barranco de Santos, La Noria, Plaza de Santo Domingo, Plaza Isla de la Madera and Plaza de Candelaria, among other locations.
At midday on Sunday, 24 July 2022, there will be the recreation of the surrender, act of homage to the fallen and withdrawal of the troops.
On Monday, 25 July 2022, at 1 pm at the Real Club Náutico de Tenerife will be an act of homage to the British fallen by the Nelson Society, then at 7 pm the religious act of Commemoration of the 225th Anniversary at the Iglesia de la Concepción (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), followed by a procession from 8 pm and floral offerings, including at the monument to General Gutiérrez.
The long-awaited 'Sensaciones Sabores de Verano' (Summer Flavour Sensations) is scheduled for Friday, July 29, in the Plaza de El Médano, where there will be various workshops and complementary activities and will feature local restaurants and wineries of the Regulatory Council of the Abona Denomination of Origin, and music. Crafts, agriculture, samples and tastings will all add up to one of the most interesting events of Sansofé and an essential highlight of the gastronomic calendar of the Canary Islands.
Granadilla de Abona retoma la celebración de los populares eventos gastronómicos de ‘Sensaciones’
The eighth edition of the Rallye Ciudad de La Laguna (City of La Laguna Rally) is taking place on Saturday, 30 July 2022. (The 7th edition had to be postponed to December, due to a resurgence in COVID cases, so it's been a relatively short wait.) Organisers, Sport Eventos Tenerife, have announced the route for the VIII Rallye Ciudad de La Laguna-Worten Trophy. With two days of competition, the action begins on Friday, July 29 with a double pass of the ‘El Boquerón-Valle Guerra section (7.30 km at 9:03 p.m. and 11:31 p.m.). The next day, 'Los Loros' will be the stage with its 14.18 km (09:03, 13:12 and 17:21 hours), while the rest of the route is made up of the 'La Barranquera' specials (7, 18 km at 10:06 and 14:15 hours) and 'Los Valles-Los Campitos' (8.35 km at 10:54 –TC+- and 15:03 hours). It will be almost 90 km timed, with arrival at around 6:30 p.m. in the Plaza de la Concepción.
