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
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 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.
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.